New Delhi, Jan 31: BCCI Secretary Jay Shah will be continuing as President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) after being unanimously reappointed for a third straight term at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Bali, Indonesia on Wednesday.

Shah's extension was proposed by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) president Shammi Silva for the second time and the nomination was unanimously backed by all ACC members. "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," said Shah in an ACC statement.

Shah, who has been the BCCI secretary since 2019, had taken over as ACC president in January 2021 from Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hassan, making him the youngest administrator to be re-appointed as the ACC president.

"Jay has played a pivotal role in steering the ACC towards significant progress in promoting and developing cricket across the Asian region. I am pleased that the ACC Board supported the proposal unanimously. Jay has a proven record of boosting finances through commercial and broadcast deals and channelizing the finances to the grassroots level, uplifting the associate members," said Silva.

The ACC board also acknowledged Shah's proven track record in enhancing financial stability through strategic commercial and broadcast deals, as well as his commitment to channelizing these financial resources to grassroots levels, thereby uplifting associate members within the organisation.

"I’ve worked closely with Mr. Jay Shah for a considerable time and know firsthand of his passion and enthusiasm towards administration. He is a young and dynamic leader with a clear vision and roadmap. Not only has he managed to foster a collaborative spirit among the Member Boards but has significantly enhanced the financial and commercial standing of the ACC.

"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. I look forward to working closely with him on taking ACC to the next level," stated Pankaj Khimji, ACC Vice-President and Chairman of Oman Cricket.

The ACC also said it has achieved significant progress in promoting and developing cricket across the Asian region under Shah’s leadership, like organising the Men’s and Women’s Asia Cup, as well as Emerging Teams’ tournaments and U19 competitions.

"I congratulate Mr. Jay Shah and all the members of the ACC for unanimously voting to extend his term. Under Mr. Shah, the ACC has scaled new heights, and he has been instrumental in developing and strengthening grassroots cricket.

"The Asia Cup is now the most sought-after continental tournament in world cricket and also the most-anticipated, and Mr. Shah deserves appreciation for elevating this tournament to the level it deserves. I am fully confident that cricket in Asia will continue to prosper, and we will work closely with ACC in furthering this endeavour,” said Hassan, also serving as an ACC Executive Board Member.

"I congratulate Mr Jay Shah on his reappointment as the ACC President for a third term. His leadership has been a catalyst for growth and popularity of the sport within the Asian cricketing community.

"He laid an impetus on providing more exposure to the cricketers from the region and we see that across formats. The Asia Cup is definitely a crowning jewel and it showcases the true competitiveness inherent in Asian teams.

"His financial prudence ranging from broadcast deals to commercial and sponsorship agreements have made his two previous terms highly impactful and engaging. I assure him full support and I look forward to yet another successful term and an enriching period for ACC under him,” said Mirwais Ashraf, Afghanistan Cricket Board Chairman and ACC Executive Board Member.

(IANS)

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