New Delhi: Jay Shah, the current Honorary Secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has been elected unopposed as the Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and will assume his position on Dec. 1.

On Aug. 20, it was announced that current ICC Chair Greg Barclay would not seek a third term and would step down at the conclusion of his tenure in November. Shah, who was the sole nominee for the Chairmanship, emphasised his commitment to expanding the global reach and popularity of cricket, especially with its upcoming inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympics.

“I am humbled by the nomination as the Chair of the International Cricket Council,” Shah stated.

“I am committed to working closely with the ICC team and our member nations to further globalise 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.”

“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.” For the unversed, Shah is also the Chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). However, he will now have to resign from that post before taking over the world cricket body.