Geoff Allardice has stepped down as the Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC), marking the end of a four-year tenure. He cited a desire to "pursue new challenges" as the reason for his departure.
Allardice initially took over as interim CEO in 2021 after the suspension of his predecessor, Manu Sawhney, and was officially appointed to the role later that year. Having joined the ICC in 2012 as the General Manager of Cricket, he played a key role in shaping the sport’s global landscape.
"It has been an honor to serve as the ICC's Chief Executive Officer," Allardice stated. "I am proud of what we have achieved, from expanding cricket’s global reach to strengthening the commercial foundations of the game.
I am grateful for the support of the ICC Chair, board members, and the entire cricketing community over the past 13 years. I believe now is the right time to step away and embrace new challenges, and I look forward to seeing cricket continue to grow worldwide."
His resignation comes shortly after Jay Shah took over as ICC Chair on December 1. Shah, formerly the BCCI Secretary, expressed gratitude for Allardice’s contributions, acknowledging his leadership in advancing cricket globally.
During his time at the ICC, Allardice played a crucial role in key developments, including standardizing the Decision Review System (DRS), overseeing the creation of the World Test Championship and the ODI Super League, and navigating the sport through the post-pandemic era.
His leadership also saw cricket’s successful bid for inclusion in the Olympic Games and the hosting of the ICC T20 World Cup in the USA, although the tournament’s operational handling has since come under scrutiny.
The ICC has yet to confirm whether Allardice will remain in his role until the Champions Trophy in February-March or if his departure is immediate.
His exit follows a series of recent high-profile resignations from the ICC, including anti-corruption head Alex Marshall, head of events Chris Tetley, and marketing and communications general manager Claire Furlong. The ICC board will now begin the search for his successor.
Updated on 29th January, 2025 by MyFortune11 Team.