Shashank Manohar To Complete Term As ICC Chairman

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday confirmed that Shashank Manohar will continue as its Chairman until the end of his elected term which is June 2018. The 59-year-old had stepped down from the position in March this year for "personal reasons". However, he was persuaded by the Full Members and Associates to continue as the Chairman. According to a report in ESPN Cricinfo, Manohar has once again been persuaded by similarly overwhelming support from a collection of Full Members, who were keen for him to finish the process of reforms he has begun.

"The International Cricket Council (ICC) today confirmed Shashank Manohar will continue to function as the Independent Chairman of ICC until the end of his elected term which is June 2018," the ICC said in a statement.

Initially, Manohar wanted to stay only till ICC Annual Conference in June this year but very recently he has had a change of heart. The Nagpur lawyer now has a strong ground after both the proposed new revenue and governance models received overwhelming support.

The only obstruction came from the BCCI, who have lost support in the global cricket body. The BCCI brass believes that it is because of Manohar that the richest cricket body has missed out a significant portion of the revenue pie.

According to BCCI's Committee of Administrators (COA), the governance model is a bigger cause of concern rather than revenue model. As per the website, Manohar completing his full term also puts paid to the hopes ECB president Giles Clarke, who was also eyeing the independent chairman's post.

The surprise move by Manohar had come in March during the India- Australia Test series, shortly after the ICC was embroiled in a controversy when it refused to take any action against Australian captain Steve Smith in the 'brain fade' issue in the Bengaluru Test.

That decision was criticised by several former and current players, including Sunil Gavaskar and South African Faf du Plessis.

(With PTI inputs)