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[Saba Sports News] Jay Shah has been elected unopposed as the new ICC chair, succeeding Greg Barclay, and will officially begin his role on December 1. At 35 years old, Shah, who currently serves as the BCCI secretary, is the youngest person to assume this position.
After Barclay, who led the ICC for two terms starting in 2020, announced he would not seek a third term, the board had until August 27 to submit nominations. Shah was the only nominee, making an election unnecessary.
In response to his appointment, 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.”
He added, “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.”
Shah is the fifth Indian to head the ICC, following Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar. The BCCI shared their congratulations on social media, posting, “Congratulations to BCCI Honorary Secretary Mr. Jay Shah for being elected unopposed as the next Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council. @jayshah.” Many members of the Indian cricket fraternity also took to social media to congratulate Shah on his new role.