Cricket

Greg Barclay, the current chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has announced that he will not seek a third term after his tenure ends on November 30. This has sparked speculation about the future of BCCI secretary Jay Shah at the ICC.Shah, who is considered one of the most influential figures in the ICC boardroom, is currently the head of the ICC's Finance and Commercial Affairs (F&CA) sub-committee. He enjoys a lot of goodwill with most of the 16 voting members.As per ICC rules, the chairman's election comprises of 16 votes, with a simple majority of nine votes (51%) required for the winner. Earlier, a two-third majority was required.Current directors are required to put forward nominations for the next Chair by August 27, 2024. If there is more than one candidate, an election will be held with the term of the new Chair commencing on December 1, 2024.Shah has one year left as the BCCI secretary before going on a mandatory cooling-off period of three years from October 2025. If he decides to move to the ICC with a year of his secretaryship still left, he will have four years left in the BCCI.At 35, Shah could become the youngest chairman in the history of the ICC. Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar are the Indians who have headed the ICC in the past.

The upcoming ICC Annual Conference in Colombo, commencing on Friday, holds immense significance for the cricketing world. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah's potential takeover as ICC Chairman from New Zealander Greg Barclay will be a key topic of discussion.One of the major concerns on the agenda is the substantial financial losses incurred by the ICC during the T20 World Cup games held in the United States. Reports indicate losses exceeding USD 20 million. While the AGM's nine-point agenda does not explicitly address financial details, it will be discussed as a "post-event report."The appointment of ICC's new external auditor, ICC memberships, reports from associate members' meetings, and the presentation of ICC development awards are also on the agenda.A crucial issue not included in the official agenda but likely to be raised under "Any Other Business" is India's decision to decline participation in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.According to an ICC source, the timing of Jay Shah's succession as ICC Chairman is a primary concern. The source stated, "It is not about how but when, as he still has one year left as BCCI secretary before his cooling-off period in Indian board starts in 2025 as per constitution."Speculation suggests that the ICC's chairmanship term could be revised from three terms of two years each to two terms of three years, maintaining the cumulative term at six years. This would allow Shah to complete his six years as BCCI secretary and assume the ICC chairmanship in 2025 for three years during his cooling-off period in the BCCI. Subsequently, he could return in 2028 to take over as the board president.