Newly elected ICC Chair Jay Shah commenced his tenure by paying a visit to the ICC headquarters in Dubai, where he met with the ICC board directors and staff.
Shah described his visit as “productive and inspiring”, and acknowledged the long road ahead.
“While I am encouraged by what I have seen, I recognize that this is just the beginning. The hard work to elevate cricket to unprecedented heights starts now, and I am confident that together, we will deliver on this vision,” Shah said, after his visit.
“This visit provided an invaluable opportunity to connect with my colleagues on the ICC Board where we discussed the initial roadmap and strategies to shape the future of this incredible sport.
“I was equally delighted to meet with the dedicated ICC team working tirelessly behind the scenes to propel cricket forward,” he added.
ICC deputy chair Imran Khwaja also commended Shah for his ambitious vision for the sport.
“On behalf of the board I would like to welcome Jay Shah to the role and share our enthusiasm for his tenure,” Khawaja said.
“Mr Shah’s ambition and experience will be instrumental in guiding the ICC and the sport into the future. It has been a very productive visit for everyone, and we look forward to working alongside him, the Members, and the ICC team in achieving success.”
Shah succeeded Greg Barclay, who had held the post of ICC Chair since 2020. Barclay stepped down on December 1, in the midst of an ongoing crisis over the Champions Trophy venues.
Barclay said he hoped Shah would be able to leverage India’s stature and take the game out of the mess it was in.
“I think he’s got a great opportunity to use what he’s got in his background to help India take the game to another level, but without making it sort of under the yoke of India as well,” Barclay said in an interview with the Telegraph.
“We’re really lucky to have India, they’re a massive contributor to the game across all the measures, but one country having that amount of power and influence does distort a whole lot of other outcomes, which is not necessarily helpful in terms of that global growth.
“Jay has the ability to bring India into the international fold even more. There are a number of things that India could do to help unite and grow the game, including commercially helping to pool off-shore rights, using their teams to give an opportunity to smaller Full Members and emerging countries, using their clout to open new territories and markets, collaborating closely with the ICC to help benefit members, as examples,” he added.