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Today marks the deadline for ICC Directors to submit their nominations for the next Chair, with strong indications that BCCI Secretary Jay Shah is set to be elected unopposed.
An election would only occur if multiple candidates are nominated, which seems unlikely at this point. The ICC announced last week that current Chair Greg Barclay will not seek a third term, and the new Chair will assume office on December 1.
“ICC Chair Greg Barclay confirmed to the Board that he will not stand for a third term and will step down from the post when his current tenure finishes at the end of November. Barclay was appointed as the Independent ICC Chair in November 2020, before being re-elected in 2022.
“Current directors are now required to put forward nominations for the next Chair by 27 August 2024 and if there is more than one candidate, an election will be held with the term of the new Chair commencing on 1 December 2024,” read a media release.
Shah currently leads the influential Finance & Commercial Affairs (F&CA) committee of the ICC and has the backing of a majority of Directors. Major boards, including Cricket Australia (CA) and the England Cricket Board (ECB), also support him. Despite ongoing speculation about his potential appointment as ICC Chair, the BCCI Secretary has remained discreet about his intentions.
Should he proceed, the 35-year-old Shah would become the youngest ICC Chair, following in the footsteps of former BCCI officials like N Srinivasan, Shashank Manohar, Sharad Pawar, and Jagmohan Dalmiya who have previously led the global cricket organization.
Significant changes are anticipated within the ICC in the coming months, with the first step already underway. The global body recently posted an advertisement for the Head of Events role, following Chris Tetley’s resignation after the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies faced criticism for its execution.
“We are currently looking for Head of Events to oversee the strategic planning, management, and execution of ICC events, ensuring alignment with the organization’s goals,” read the advertisement.
The ICC has established a three-member committee to thoroughly investigate the management of the multi-nation event. Two senior officials, Tetley and Claire Furlong, the Head of Marketing and Communication, have resigned after long tenures, though they will remain under investigation as the inquiry progresses.
In the aftermath of the World Cup, broadcaster Disney Star is seeking to renegotiate its $3 billion contract with the ICC, which began with the 2024 T20 World Cup. The broadcaster is reportedly requesting a rebate due to disappointing pitch conditions in New York, which led to low-scoring matches, and issues with the semi-final between South Africa and Afghanistan. Negotiations are ongoing, with current ICC Chair Barclay also involved in the discussions.
