Jay Shah, the Indian cricket boss, began his tenure as chairman of the ICC on Sunday, expressing his eagerness to elevate the sport to quotnew heights.quot
Elected unopposed by the sport's world body in August, Shah, the son of India's influential home minister Amit Shah, succeeds Greg Barclay, who chose not to seek a third term. At 36, Shah is the youngest person to ever hold this position.
quotCricket 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,quot Shah stated.
He described this period as an quotexcitingquot time for cricket, with preparations underway for the 2028 Olympics and efforts to make the sport more inclusive and engaging for fans worldwide.
quotWe are at a critical juncture with the coexistence of multiple formats and the need to accelerate the growth of the women's game,quot he added.
Shah's rapid ascent from leading the world's wealthiest cricket board to heading the ICC highlights India's dominance in the sport's global administration. In a country where cricket and politics are closely intertwined, Shah is also known as the son of Hindu-nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi's right-hand man, Amit Shah.
The ICC, the global governing body for cricket with over 100 members, is responsible for staging major events like the World Cup. Shah's new role comes at a pivotal time, with the future of next year's Champions Trophy uncertain after India refused to travel to host nation Pakistan.
