Jay Shah, the current honorary secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has been elected unopposed as the Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Shah will officially take over the position on December 1, 2024.
The election follows the announcement on August 20 that the current ICC Chair, Greg Barclay, would not seek a third term and would step down at the end of his tenure in November. Shah, who was the only nominee for the chairmanship, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and highlighted his vision for the future of cricket.
"I am humbled by the nomination as the Chair of the International Cricket Council," Shah said in a statement. "I am committed to working closely with the ICC team and our member nations to further globalize cricket. We stand at a critical juncture where it is increasingly important to balance the coexistence of multiple formats, promote the adoption of advanced technologies, and introduce our marquee events to new global markets. Our goal is to make cricket more inclusive and popular than ever before," he said.
Shah also emphasized the significance of cricket's upcoming inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, which he sees as a pivotal moment for the sport's growth. "The inclusion of our sport in the Olympics at LA 2028 represents a significant inflection point for the growth of cricket, and I am confident that it will drive the sport forward in unprecedented ways," he added.
As the new ICC Chair, Shah aims to build on the organization's previous successes while embracing innovation to enhance the global appeal of cricket. His leadership is expected to play a crucial role in navigating the evolving landscape of the sport and expanding its reach to new audiences around the world.
