Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Tamim Iqbal has been appointed chairman of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) newly established Franchise Leagues Committee, following approval at the ICC Annual Conference in Edinburgh.
The appointment places Tamim at the centre of discussions on the future direction of franchise cricket, a rapidly expanding part of the global game. The newly formed committee will focus on developing policies, improving coordination among cricket boards and guiding the long-term growth of franchise leagues across different countries.
The committee includes several senior figures from international cricket administration. Its members are Cricket Namibia’s Dr Rudie van Vuuren, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Devajit Saikia, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive Richard Gould, and Cricket Australia Chief Executive Todd Greenberg.
The ICC also approved the formation of a new Governance Review Committee, which will be led by Devajit Saikia.
Cricket South Africa’s Dr Mohammed Moosajee and ICC Independent Director Dr Ros Rivaz have been named as members of the committee.
During the conference, the ICC Board approved several other important decisions concerning global cricket administration.
Mauritius was officially accepted as the ICC’s 111th member, marking another step in the expansion of cricket’s international network. The ICC Board also approved a US$12.82 million loan for Cricket West Indies to support cricket development programmes across the Caribbean region.
The meeting also discussed the situation involving Cricket Canada. The ICC confirmed that the board’s suspension would continue until it fulfils the required conditions for reinstatement.
The ICC Board reviewed progress on constitutional reforms within Sri Lanka Cricket and encouraged the board to conduct elections as soon as possible. Until those reforms are completed, Sri Lanka Cricket will not have representation at ICC Board meetings.
The governing body also formally recognised Tamim Iqbal, Bangladesh’s newly elected cricket board president, as the country’s Full Member Director on the ICC Board.
Meanwhile, France Cricket has been placed “on notice” by the ICC following concerns over alleged breaches of membership obligations. The move allows the governing body to monitor the situation and assess whether further action is required.
The decisions taken at the Edinburgh conference reflect the ICC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen governance, expand cricket’s global reach and manage the growing influence of franchise competitions around the world.
