Shashank Manohar steps down as ICC chairman after two stints

Shashank Manohar, who became the ICC’s first independent chairman in 2016, had already announced that he wouldn’t be seeking a third term.




As Shashank Manohar stepped down as the International Cricket Council chairman on Wednesday, hectic parleys are expected in different cricket boards in the next few weeks, with an eye to nominate his successor. It is learnt that the ICC Annual Conference, scheduled in mid-July, has been postponed indefinitely because of Covid-19. Manohar’s second two-year term would have come to an end at the Full Council. The senior administrator, who became the ICC’s first independent chairman in 2016, had already announced that he wouldn’t be seeking a third term.

The ICC release said deputy chairman Imran Khwaja “will assume the responsibilities of the Chairperson until a successor is elected”. The Board agreed to the ad-hoc arrangement when it met today. The ICC chair is usually elected at the Full Council, but now that it is postponed, it needs to be seen what timeline the game’s global body puts out. “The process for the Chairperson election is expected to be approved by the ICC Board within the next week,” the ICC stated.

With the Covid-induced economic crisis looming on the horizon, the majority of cricket boards need the BCCI’s support, especially in terms of playing bilateral series, as a bailout. The BCCI is ready to provide the leadership. However, this paper understands, the Indian board hasn’t yet taken a decision on whether to nominate someone from its fold or to throw its weight behind a consensus candidate.

Coming back to Manohar, he became the ICC chief, nominated by the BCCI, in November 2015 after the Indian board had recalled N Srinivasan and replaced him with the former. Next year, Manohar quit the BCCI presidentship to become the ICC’s first independent chairman. However, after just eight months in office, he resigned but eventually took it back. His tenure saw the ICC dismantle the Big Three model to adopt a more equitable revenue distribution system. “There is no doubt that cricket owes Shashank a debt of gratitude for all he has done for the sport,” Khwaja, the ICC deputy chairman, stated.

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