International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Shashank Manohar, who is expected to step down in June, might get a couple of months’ extension as the ICC’s Board Meeting is set to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is expected that England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves will replace the former BCCI president, who has decided against seeking an extension for a third two-year-term.
“This is for sure that Manohar is going but he will probably stay on for another two months as the annual Board Meeting in June looks highly unlikely at the moment considering the global situation,” an ICC Board member told India’s Insidesport.
“So it might be in August that ICC will have a new chairman,” he added.
Hong Kong’s Imran Khawaja’s name was initially floated as Manohar’s possible successor, but it is understood that he doesn’t have the support of the full members.
ECB chairman Graves, who is supposed to step down from his country’s board in November 2020, has emerged as the favourite for the ICC top job.
Those in the know of ICC’s board room politics feel that Graves’ biggest advantage at this point is support from all the major Test-playing nations.
“England, New Zealand, Australia and West Indies will support Graves’ candidature. He also shares a great rapport with BCCI although the world’s richest cricket board has not openly supported any candidate,” the Board member said.
At the ECB, Graves will be succeeded by the former Football Association Chief Executive Ian Whatmore.
John Stephenson
john@cricketinvestor
