Jay Shah officially began his term as the ICC chair on December 1, succeeding Greg Barclay. At 36, Shah is the youngest individual to hold the position, having been elected unopposed in August. His first day on the job coincided with the ICC board's pressing decision regarding the venue for the 2025 Champions Trophy, with an announcement expected soon.
"I am honored to take on the role of ICC chair and thankful for the support and trust of the ICC directors and member boards," Shah stated on his first day in office. "This is an exciting time for cricket, as we work towards the LA28 Olympic Games and aim to make the sport more inclusive and engaging for fans worldwide. With multiple formats coexisting, it is critical to accelerate the growth of women's cricket. Cricket has immense global potential, and I look forward to working with the ICC team and member nations to take the sport to new heights."
Before assuming the ICC chairmanship, Shah served as the BCCI secretary and is also the president of the Asian Cricket Council. He previously chaired the ICC’s Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee. The identity of his successor at the BCCI is still unknown.
One of the key issues that Shah faces immediately is the venue decision for the 2025 Champions Trophy, originally planned to be hosted by Pakistan. ICC deputy chair Imran Khwaja has been acting as interim chair and presided over a board meeting on Friday, and he is expected to oversee the resolution of the venue issue.
The tournament is set to start on February 19, but the fixture list has yet to be announced after the BCCI’s refusal to send the Indian team to Pakistan, citing government concerns. While the PCB insists on hosting all matches in Pakistan, a compromise is being considered where matches involving India might be relocated to a neutral venue. A final decision on the matter is expected soon.
Updated on 1st December, 2024 by MyFortune11 Team