On Sunday, December 1, Jay Shah, the former honorary secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), took over as chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC). He stated that women’s cricket was at a “critical juncture” and that his top concerns were the LA28 Olympic Games and development.
Jay Shah has been vocal about Cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Cricket is amongst the fastest-growing sport in the world. It is rapidly gaining popularity all around the world. Jay Shah wants to focus on how the game will gain more popularity and how can it make inroads in the countries where it is not that popular.
Jay Shah also stated that he intends to safeguard all formats of the game in the modern-day world. He is an ambassador of Test Cricket as he has been vocal about increasing the number of test matches for all test-playing nations in Cricket. Multiple formats(T20 & T10) have been an issue for Test and ODI cricket to gain viewership.
We are at a critical juncture with the coexistence of multiple formats – Jay Shah Takes Over As ICC Chairman
“I am honored to take on the role of ICC Chair and grateful for the support and trust of the ICC Directors and Member Boards,” Shah said in a statement. “This is an exciting time for the sport as we prepare for the LA28 Olympic Games and work to make cricket more inclusive and engaging for fans worldwide.”
“We are at a critical juncture with the coexistence of multiple formats and the need to accelerate the growth of the women’s game. Cricket holds immense potential globally, and I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and Member countries to seize these opportunities and take the sport to new heights,”
Jay Shah, who has worked with BCCI since 2019, has quit. He also chaired the ICC’s Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee and presided over the Asian Cricket Council in the interim. In 2009, Shah—the son of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah—began playing cricket for the Gujarat Cricket Association.
The ICC sponsored several men’s and women’s competitions under the outgoing ICC chairman Greg Barclay and made progress toward gender-based pay parity, but it also came under fire for allocating its funds to weaker member nations.
“I would also like to thank Greg Barclay for his leadership in the role for the past four years and the milestones achieved during that period. I look forward to working closely with the ICC team and the Member countries to expand the game’s reach and evolution on the global stage.”
The primary duty of the Indian administrator would be to ensure that the 2025 Champions Trophy runs well despite the hostilities between the Pakistan Cricket Board and the BCCI. His term can be extended until 2030 if he does well during his current tenure as he has backing of the ICC members and key stakeholders.