Jay Shah quits BCCI secretary position, assumes ICC Chairmanship

Jay Shah has officially quit the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary position and started his tenure as the chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on December 1.

Recently, a few reports emerged which claimed that the ICC has extended chairman Greg Barclay's tenure by a month and Jay Shah will be taking charge in January 2025. However, those reports have been rubbished with the latest announcement made by ICC.

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“I am honoured to take on the role of ICC Chair" - Jay Shah starts his tenure as ICC Chairman

Jay Shah was appointed as the BCCI secretary in 2019 and he also served as the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) since 2021.

However, he has now quit those roles as he started his tenure as the ICC Chairman on Sunday, for which he was unanimously elected.

In his first statement as ICC Chairman, Jay Shah stated that he is honoured to take over the new role and expressed his excitement over working towards preparation for the inclusion of cricket in the LA28 Olympics.

“I am honoured 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," he said.

I would also like to thank Greg Barclay - Jay Shah

Shah will be replacing Greg Barclay, who served as the ICC Chairman since November 2020. The newly-appointed chairman also lauded Barclay for the work he put in as the head of the global body for the last four years. He stated:

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Jay Shah further said that he will be working closely with the other members of the board and take cricket to new heights.

“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.”

ICC to take major decision on Champions Trophy 2025

The first major decision that Jay Shah will have to take is regarding the Champions Trophy 2025. Pakistan are set to host the competition, but the Indian government has refused to send the team to Pakistan for the marquee competition.

As a result, there has been a demand for a hybrid model with India playing their matches in UAE. On Saturday, several reports claimed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is willing to accept the hybrid model, but has put forward some demands.

Meanwhile, the latest reports suggest that the PCB has proposed a 'Partnership or Fusion Formula' according to which Pakistan and India would play matches in UAE during the ICC tournaments held in each other's country in the next few years.