Jay Shah Elected as Youngest ICC Chairman, Aims to Globalize Cricket

Youngest ICC Chairman Jay Shah:

Jay Shah, the 35-year-old secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, became the new chairman of the International Cricket Council after being elected unopposed. He will assume the role on December 1, 2024, becoming the youngest person to hold this position.

Shah’s appointment marks the fifth time an Indian has led the ICC, following in the footsteps of Jag Mohan Dalmia, Sharad Pawer, N Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar.

Priorities and Challenges:

In his statement, Shah expressed his commitment to working closely with the ICC team and member nations to further globalize cricket. He emphasized the importance of balancing the coexistence of multiple formats, promoting advanced technologies, and introducing marquee events to new global markets.

One of Shah’s key priorities is to make cricket more inclusive and popular than ever before. He views the inclusion of cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as a significant inflection point for the sport’s growth and is confident it will drive cricket forward in unprecedented ways.

However, Shah will face several challenges in his new role. The ICC’s decision to host the T20 World Cup in the US faced backlash due to $20 million in unexpected operational costs. Additionally, the broadcaster Star, with a $3 billion deal for Indian television rights, is seeking renegotiations.

Implications and Future Prospects:

Shah’s election as ICC Chair begins a new era for cricket, focusing on global growth and innovation to enhance the sport’s reach. As a powerful decision-maker in the richest cricket board in the world, which contributes more than 75% of the ICC’s revenue, many expected Shah’s appointment. If all goes well, Shah can have two terms as ICC Chair and return to complete his BCCI tenure as president in 2028 after heading the powerful ICC Finance and Commercial Affairs committee since 2022.