India’s Jay Shah Elected Unopposed as ICC Independent Chair

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 role on December 1, 2024, following the conclusion of Greg Barclay’s tenure in November.

The ICC announced Shah’s election in a statement on Tuesday, confirming that he was the sole nominee for the position. This development comes after Barclay revealed on August 20 that he would not be seeking a third term as ICC Chair.

Shah said, “I am humbled by the nomination as the Chair of the International Cricket Council. 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.”

Shah emphasized his vision of expanding the global reach and popularity of cricket, especially with the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “While we will build on the valuable lessons learned, we must also embrace fresh thinking and innovation to elevate the love for cricket worldwide. 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.

Shah’s election marks him as the fifth Indian to hold the prestigious position of ICC Chair, following the footsteps of Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar.

Jay Shah has held the position of BCCI Secretary since October 2019 and became a member of the ICC’s influential Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee in 2022, assuming its chairmanship in 2023. He was re-elected as BCCI Secretary in 2022 for a term extending until 2025. However, upon taking charge as the ICC Chair, Shah will be required to relinquish his roles at both the BCCI and the ICC’s F&CA committee.