Jay Shah becomes ICC Chairman unopposed, making history as the youngest

Dubai: BCCI secretary Jay Shah will take over as the next chairman of the ICC in December after he emerged as the sole nominee for the high-profile job, the global governing body for cricket announced on Tuesday.

At 35 years old, Shah will replace Greg Barclay, the current chairman, who opted not to seek re-election for a third consecutive two-year term.

"I am humbled by the nomination as the Chair of the International Cricket Council," Shah stated as quoted by ICC.

"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 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 concluded.

Jay Shah becomes the youngest person to lead the ICC. He also joins the likes of Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan and Shashank Manohar as Indians who have led the ICC in the past

Shah will step down from his current role as BCCI Secretary, a position he has held since 2019, at the Board’s Annual General Meeting scheduled for the end of next month or October.

Currently, Shah heads the ICC's influential Finance and Commercial Affairs (F&CA) sub-committee, a role he has occupied since 2022. 

(with inputs from agencies)