BCCI secretary Jay Shah becomes Asian Cricket Council president for third straight time

New Delhi, Jan 31: Jay Shah, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary, was on Wednesday (January 31) appointed as the president of the Asian Cricket Council for a third consecutive term.

Shah's extension was proposed by the Sri Lanka Cricket president Shammi Silva for the second time and the nomination was unanimously backed by all the members of the ACC at its annual general meeting in Bali. Shah initially assumed the role in January 2021, succeeding Bangladesh Cricket Board President Nazmul Hassan.

Under Shah's leadership, the ACC successfully organised the Asia Cup in T20 format in 2022 and in ODI format in 2023.

"I am grateful to the ACC Board for their continued trust. We must remain committed to ensuring the all-round development of the sport with a special focus on regions where it is still in its infancy. The ACC is committed to nurturing cricket across Asia," Shah said in a release.

"Under Shah's guidance, the ACC has been instrumental in unearthing and promoting new talent in cricketing powerhouses like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka," Silva said. Pankaj Khimji, chairman of Oman Cricket and vice-president of the ACC, also extended congratulations on Shah's term.

"Today, stakeholders see value in investing in tournaments that the ACC conducts, and I credit him for this major transformation, which will further fuel the growth of the game in the region," Khimji stated.

Welcoming the reappointment, Hassan said cricket in Asia will continue to prosper under Shah's leadership, emphasising collaboration with the ACC in furthering this endeavour. Apart from developing the sport in Asia, the ACC President played a part in grassroots development, infrastructure improvement and nurturing budding talents.

Earlier reports in the media claimed that Shah might step down as the ACC chief as he is mulling contesting for the post of International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman. But the latest development junks those reports. Currently, New Zealand's Greg Barclay holds the distinguished position of the ICC chairman. He has been at the helm of the ICC since 2020.

(With PTI inputs)