Shammi Silva, President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is the new President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Shammi Silva has now replaced Jay Shah at the post and he resumed his charge on Friday. Recently, the former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary resumed his charge as the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, replacing Greg Barclay.
Shammi Silva earlier served as the Chairman of the ACC Finance & Marketing Committee for several years. Upon resuming his charge, Silva expressed his gratitude, saying, “It is a great honor to lead the Asian Cricket Council.” Shah had vacated the position after three terms as ACC President. It won’t be Shammi Silva’s maiden role with the ACC, having previously functioned as the chairman of the organization’s Finance & Marketing Committee.
SLC head Shammi Silva replaces Jay Shah as Asian Cricket Council president ahead of 2025
Shammi Silva was supposed to assume office, earlier in 2024 but he proposed an extension of Jay Shah’s term, who had remained in charge since 2021. As Shah started his tenure as the president of the International Cricket Council, Silva took the top spot in Asia. Shammi Silva played cricket for the Colombo Cricket Club in 1983/84 and captained the side. He was a member, manager and coach of the Sri Lanka squash national team.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief Shammi Silva has been named the new president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). He takes over from former BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who assumed charge as ICC chairman on December 1.
Silva (64) had earlier served as the chairman of the ACC Finance & Marketing Committee for several years. An official statement from ACC on Friday, December 6, confirmed Silva as Shah’s replacement.
“The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is pleased to announce that Mr. Shammi Silva, President of Sri Lanka Cricket, has officially assumed the Presidency of the ACC. Mr. Silva brings extensive expertise to the role, having served as the Chairman of the ACC Finance & Marketing Committee for several years.” the statement read.
Reacting to his appointment, the SLC chief described leading the Asian Cricket Council as a great honor.
“Cricket is the heartbeat of Asia, and I look forward to working closely with all member nations to elevate the game, provide opportunities for emerging talent, and strengthen the bonds that unite us through this beautiful sport,” Silva said
Before vacating his post, former BCCI secretary Shah served three terms as the Asian Cricket Council President.
Asian Cricket Council hails Jay Shah’s contribution
While announcing Silva’s appointment as the new chief of the Asian Cricket Council, ACC also hailed Shah for his exemplary leadership and significant contributions during his tenure.
On behalf of the ACC, Silva also extended heartfelt gratitude to the outgoing President, Jay Shah, for his exemplary leadership and significant contributions during his tenure.
Under Shah’s time at the helm, the ACC achieved remarkable milestones, including successfully achieving the highest value for its commercial rights of ACC Asia Cup tournaments for 2024–31, the introduction of a new pathway events structure, and the continued development and growth of cricket across its member nations.
“Under Mr Shah’s stewardship, the ACC achieved remarkable milestones, including the successfully achieving highest value for its commercial rights of ACC Asia Cup tournaments for 2024–31, the introduction of a new pathway events structure, and the continued development and growth of cricket across its member nations,” the official statement read.
The ACC stated that Silva has assumed the presidency at a pivotal time for Asian cricket and is expected to prioritize grassroots development and support emerging cricketing nations to excel on the global stage.