Jay Shah created history on August 24, when it was announced that he would become the new International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman with him assuming his chair from December 1 replacing outgoing chairman Craig Barclay. The 36-year-old was elected unopposed in the position as he became the youngest person in history to sit on the top chair of the world’s apex cricketing body.
Shah has served as the BCCI’s honorary secretary since October 2019 and chair of the Asian Cricket Council since January 2021. Shah earlier claimed that he had enough support to become the new ICC chairman after Barclay announced earlier this month. At 35, Jay Shah is the youngest individual to be elected as the Independent Chair of the ICC.
A speech full of optimism given by the New ICC chairman
After being officially declared as the next chairman of the ICC, Jay Shah pledged that he would work closely to further globalize cricket. He also spoke about the importance of cricket being inducted into the Los Angeles Olympics 2028.
“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 said in a statement.
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
A glance at the Career of the Jay Shah , New ICC chairman
Shah is the fifth Indian to lead the ICC, following in the footsteps of Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N. Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar.
Barclay first assumed the role of ICC Chair in 2020 for a two-year term and was re-elected in November 2022 for another two years. During Barclay’s tenure, Shah joined the ICC’s influential Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee in 2022 and became its chair in 2023.
Shah began his cricket administration career in Gujarat in 2009 and has been the BCCI Secretary since October 2019, with his re-election extending his tenure until 2025. However, once he takes over as ICC Chair, Shah will have to relinquish his positions at the BCCI and the ICC’s F&CA committee. He also served as the President of the Asian Cricket Council from 2021 to 2024.
The ICC said: “Shah’s election marks a new chapter for the ICC as it seeks to expand the game’s reach and continue its evolution on the global stage.”
Future of champion trophy with appointment of the New ICC chairman
Pakistan will organize the Champions Trophy 2025. The last edition of the ICC tournament was played in 2017. India is reluctant to travel to the neighboring country due to strained political relations.
Jay Shah’s appointment as ICC chairman is not pleasant news for Pakistan’s Champions Trophy hopes, while Rashid Latif thinks otherwise and so does Younis Khan. The Men in Blue have not visited their neighbouring country in over a decade’s time due to the political climate in the South Asian region and it is unlikely the Indian government will permit the team to visit Pakistan next year.
Shah has been an advocate of the hybrid model of conducting competitions and it was under his chairmanship in the Asian Cricket Council that the 2023 Asia Cup was conducted in such a manner where Sri Lanka and Pakistan jointly hosted the competition.
There is a strong possibility that Shah would recommend organizing the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and UAE with Pakistan playing all their matches at their home except for the India clash which will be held in UAE.
