International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Jay Shah has held discussions with International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach ahead of the Extraordinary IOC Session in Lausanne from January 30, as the sport’s inclusion at the Summer Games beyond the 2028 edition continues to gather pace. The ICC posted images from the meeting of the two leading administrators on social media on Tuesday. “Momentum continues to build around cricket’s inclusion as an @Olympics sport at the @LA2028 Games and beyond, with ICC Chair Mr. JayShah meeting International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Mr. Thomas Bach in Lausanne, Switzerland this week,” the ICC posted on X. Shah attended a seminar involving LA 2028 International Federations at the Olympic House here. He was joined by ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice with the “meeting focusing on key areas of collaboration between the ICC and the IOC in the build-up to the Los Angeles Games”.

“This was the first time Mr Shah was meeting with Mr Bach and they explored potential avenues for collaboration in promoting the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect within the cricketing world,” the ICC said in a statement.

“It is an exciting time for cricket with tremendous opportunity to engage with existing and new fans ahead of the LA 2028 Games, paving the way for potential future collaborations with the Olympic movement that will benefit athletes, fans, and the global sporting community,” it added.

Shah said the meeting was an important milestone ahead of cricket’s return to the Olympics after 128 years.

“…It was a productive meeting and an important milestone on the road to LA 2028. The inclusion of cricket in the Olympic Games represents a watershed moment for our sport and a real opportunity for transformative growth for 2028 and beyond,” Shah said.

“We discussed a range of critical issues and continued to build relationships with our friends across the Olympic movement. We look forward to the next three and half years working in collaboration with the IOC and LA 2028.” Shah, who was elected as ICC chairman last year and took over the role on December 1, has been actively pushing for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics.

He was in Brisbane last month during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and met 2032 Brisbane Olympic Organising Committee head Cindy Hook and Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley with an aim to convince them to include cricket in the 2032 Olympics.

The sport is not yet confirmed for the 2032 edition in Brisbane.

The sport’s T20 format was confirmed for the 2028 LA Games at the 141st IOC Session in 2023 which took place in Mumbai.

Cricket last featured in the Olympics at the Paris Games in 1900. 

File image of Jay Shah© ICC

Representative image© AFP

The primary focal point of the BCCI’s 93rd Annual General Meeting, to be held on Sunday, will be to elect two representatives of India to the ICC meetings, as finding a successor to incumbent secretary Jay Shah is not on agenda. The meeting assumes importance because the International Cricket Council has scheduled a conclave in Dubai at the end of the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE. The final of the marquee event is slated for October 20 in Dubai, and Shah will still be in the chair of the BCCI secretary on that date, as he will take over as ICC chairman from December 1. It is expected that Shah might attend that meeting as BCCI representative.

After the tenure of Sourav Ganguly as BCCI president, usually Shah represented India in the ICC parleys and the last such instance was in Colombo earlier this July.

The current board president Roger Binny is the Alternate Director who can represent BCCI at the global body’s meetings, but he seldom performs that duty.

With a year left in his tenure, it remains to be seen whether Binny will continue as the Alternate Director or someone else is nominated at the AGM for the role.

While the selection of the secretary is not listed, the members, who have assembled here also for the inauguration of the new National Cricket Academy complex near the international airport on Saturday, are certain to discuss among themselves the possible candidate to succeed Shah.

As things stand now, two names have been doing rounds for the post – Anil Patel, the secretary of Gujarat Cricket Association and Rohan Jaitley, son of late Arun Jaitley and the president of the Delhi and District Cricket Association. However BCCI treasurer Ashish Shelar and joint secretary Devajit Lon Saikia could also be elevated.

But it has been learned that Patel is the current frontrunner for the post which will be officially ratified at the Special General Meeting (SGM), and the date of which too is expected to be revealed after the AGM.

Other than that, the AGM will also ratify the induction of a representative from the Indian Cricketer’s Association (ICA) to the IPL Governing Council.

A source close to the development confirmed to PTI that incumbent V Chamundeswaranath, a former Andhra player and veteran administrator, will continue in that post.

Two more from the General Body will also be nominated to the IPL GC and currently Arun Singh Dhumal, the present IPL chairman, and Avishek Dalmiya are occupying those slots. They might resume the role for another season at least.

Meanwhile, former Test cricketer Yajurvindra Singh, who played for Maharashtra and Saurashtra stalwart, will take over the ICA president, a post left vacant after the demise of former India opener Anshuman Gaekwad.

Other issues such as two from the General Body, appointment of sub-committees like the Cricket Committee, besides approving the annual budget for the 2024-25 season too will come up in the AGM.

The AGM will also ponder over the report submitted by the board’s internal committee formed under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Policy.

PTI UNG AH 7/21/2024 KHS

The ODI World Cup 2023 was a great one for the Indian cricket team. Barring the heart-break in the final, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team impressed all. Off the field too, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has now claimed that the ODi World Cup impacted India in a big way. In a report titled, “ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 Delivers Economic Boost to India”, the ICC said the 2023 ODI World Cup in India created an “economic benefit” of USD 1.39 billion with tourism among the biggest beneficiaries.

The Economic Impact Assessment conducted by Nielsen for the ICC, claimed that the mega-event held in October-November last year was the biggest ever ODI World Cup. “The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has demonstrated the significant economic power of cricket, generating economic benefit of USD 1.39 billion (Rs 11,637 crore) for India,” ICC Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice said in a statement.

Australia ended India’s unbeaten run in the tournament to win the trophy for a record-extending sixth time.

“The impact of tourism across the host cities amounted to USD 861.4 million of revenue generation, through accommodation, travel, transportation and food and beverage because of a massive influx of domestic and foreign tourists attending the matches,” read an ICC statement.

“The secondary and incremental spends within the economy was a key driver, generating USD 515.7 million, which was approximately 37 per cent of the total impact.” 

However, the ICC did not specify whether the massive figure cited in the report is actual revenue.

A record-breaking 1.25 million spectators attended the mega event, of which nearly 75 per cent were attending an ICC 50-over match for the first time ever, the report claimed.

“Nearly 55 per cent of the international respondents had previously visited India regularly, whilst an injection of new visitors thanks to the World Cup saw 19% of international attendees making their first ever visit to the country.

“International travellers visited multiple tourist destinations during their stay which amounted to an economic impact of USD281.2 million and nearly 68 per cent of international attendees said that they would recommend India as a tourist destination to friends and family in the future further enhancing India’s global image,” read the statement from the governing body.

Over 48,000 full and part time jobs were created by the event through direct involvement in delivering the tournament, as well as other organisations across the hospitality sector, added the report.

“The event created thousands of jobs and showcased India as a premier tourist destination, proving that ICC events not only engage fans passionately but also contribute significantly to the economies of our host nations,” Allardice said.

With PTI inputs 

File photo of Jay Shah© AFP

File photo of Jay Shah© AFP

Jay Shah will take over as the ICC chairman from December 1, 2024. Jay Shah, at 35, will become the youngest to take over as the chairman of the global governing body. Shah has been serving as the BCCI secretary since October 2019 and chairman of the Asian Cricket Council since January 2021. Jay Shah got the vote of 15 out of 16 members in the ICC Board to be elected the next ICC chairman. 

Cricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave has now talked in details about the reason behind Jay Shah’s election.

“The ICC board doesn’t want to waste too much time on internal politics. If you look at Jay’s leadership at the BCCI, it has been wonderful. He has hosted the Women’s Premier League, successfully oversaw the 50-over World Cup in India and has signed huge broadcast deals with IPL and for BCCI,” Cricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave told The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, former Australia head coach John Buchanan on Thursday urged the International Cricket Council, which will be led by BCCI secretary Jay Shah soon, to take ‘good decisions’ for cricket’s long-term future.

Buchanan, who coached Australia to two separate runs of world record 16 consecutive Test wins and ODI World Cup wins in 2003 and 2007, said the ICC needs to be address the concerns over growing number of T20 leagues. “It’s an interesting question. With Jay Shah now being installed at the head of the ICC, it really is important that the ICC makes some very, very good long-term decisions for the game,” Buchanan told PTI when asked if India and Australia will continue to produce Test cricketers of the same caliber they have thus far.

“We see a proliferation of T20 leagues, T10 leagues, (The) Hundreds and so on… the reality is, that is the future of the game. The young children that we’re speaking here today will be inspired by and have a real love for playing that short form of the game,” he said at the launch of ‘Ready Steady Go Kids’ multi-sport program.

However, Buchanan underlined the importance of Test cricket.

“The game is built on Test cricket. That’s the true fabric of the game. For the ICC to make some good decisions, they have to be very, very mindful of how many leagues they approve and sanction, which means by doing that, it will limit the number of leagues that players are drawn to, for a start,” he said.

Buchanan said the ICC will have to find a way to keep the ODI format relevant since it helps in transition between Tests and T20s.

“Test cricket is really important. We’ve got the proliferation of the short-format game. We need to keep the transition game, which is the one-day game,” he said.

“It’s too difficult for players to be able to play quality cricket with only two formats, meaning a short format and a long format. We need that intervening, that transition format of 50-over cricket.” Buchanan said players cannot be blamed for trying to make most of the opportunities.

“You want to be well paid for because you’re at the top of your game. Who knows how long they’ve got injury-wise, selection-wise, age-wise…” he later told reporters.

“They’ve got to try and exploit that and that’s what the leagues are offering at the moment. I don’t blame them for that.” Buchanan said he anticipates the Australian Test side to undergo a phase of transition after the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later this year.

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lot of changes in that Australian Test side because most of them are over 30,” he said.

File photo of new ICC chairman Jay Shah© AFP

The newly-elected ICC Chairman Jay Shah’s efforts as BCCI secretary in giving equal priority to men’s and women’s cricket have made the Indian board a “pioneer” for other governing bodies of the game to follow, reckoned legendary Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday. Shah will leave BCCI after a five-year stint, which began in October 2019, to take over as the independent chairman of the International Cricket Council from December 1.

Tendulkar joined many former and current players to extend his wishes to Shah, who will be the youngest ICC chairman in history at the age of 35.

“Being enthusiastic and having the drive to do something good for cricket are essential qualities for a cricket administrator. @JayShah displayed these traits wonderfully during his stint as @BCCI secretary,” Tendulkar wrote on X.

“His endeavours towards prioritising both women’s cricket and men’s cricket have made the BCCI a pioneer that other boards can follow. I wish him the very best of luck towards the next phase of his journey, as he becomes the youngest chairman of the @ICC,” he said.

Being enthusiastic and having the drive to do something good for cricket are essential qualities for a cricket administrator. @JayShah displayed these traits wonderfully during his stint as @BCCI secretary.

His endeavours towards prioritising both women’s cricket and men’s…

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 28, 2024

Shah will be the fifth Indian to head the ICC and Tendulkar hoped that he would be able to carry the legacy forward.

“India has sent several luminaries to lead the ICC as administrators: Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya, Mr. Sharad Pawar, Mr. N. Srinivasan, and Mr. Shashank Manohar. I am sure he will build on their legacy and take the game of cricket forward,” he added.

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, who was the BCCI president during Shah’s first term wrote, “Congratulations to Jay Shah @JayShah on his new role as ICC chair.. wish him a great journey ahead ..” (sic) India’s batting mainstay Virat Kohli also congratulated Shah for his new role. “Many congratulations @JayShah on being elected as the ICC chairman. Wishing you great success ahead,” he wrote.

India’s Test and ODI skipper Rohit Sharma wrote, “Heartiest Congratulations @JayShah.” Jasprit Bumrah also extended his wishes, “Congratulations @Jay Shah bhai! Your passion for the game will ensure it’s taken to the next level. Wishing you lots of luck!”