Jay Shah celebtrates 37th birthday (X.com/@RAHULKUMAR705)
The Chairman of the International Cricket Council, Mr. Jay Shah, turns 37 years old today (22 September 1988). The world of cricket, including the Indian Cricket Team's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, wishes one of the most powerful figures in the fraternity.
Jay Shah, after entering the cricket administration, has made a name for himself for his impact on the holistic expansion of the sport. Son of Amit Shah, India's Home Minister, Jay's personal growth has been remarkable too.
Starting as an executive board member of the Central Board of Cricket, Ahmedabad, in 2009, Shah, on 1 December 2024, became the youngest to hold the ICC Chairperson's position.
Campaigning for Inclusivity with actions
Shah's tenure as the top brass at the BCCI and the ICC has seen initiatives aiming to increase inclusivity and diversity in the cricket world. The foremost contributions have to be the development of women's cricket in India under his guidance.
One of the biggest advocates of gender equality, BCCI's commitment towards bringing the talks into action saw gender parity in the Indian cricket set-up. During his time as the BCCI Secretary, Shah filled in the gap in the persistent pay gap between women's cricket and men's cricket. This ensured that female cricketers earn the same as their male counterparts representing the nation. As a result, both men and women Indian cricketers playing for the country receive equal match fees per match.
Expansion of Domestic Cricket for Women with an IPL-like set-up
Apart from that, understanding the value of a tournament like the Indian Premier League and its benefit to the national pool of talent, Shah's leadership saw the introduction of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). The historic launch of this tournament marked a milestone moment in the journey of women's cricket in Indian.
Mirroring the success of IPL, WPL provides a significant platform for the upcoming generation and the existing pool of players to showcase their caliber, at the same time, enhance their skills and mindset while rubbing shoulders with international players and team management.
Moreover, at the grassroots level, Shah's contribution can be seen constantly. With the overall infrastructure growing rapidly, Shah's vision to take the game to every nook and corner of the country is also in return helping the country find exceptional talent ready to prove their mettle on the highest levels.
'Defining Moment' as ICC Women's World Cup returns to India
Jay Shah's contribution to women's cricket is not that. It goes beyond to have bought the ICC Women's World Cup back in India after years. It will be the first women’s global cricket tournament in the subcontinent since India hosted the 2016 Women’s T20 World Cup, and the fourth Women’s ODI World Cup in the country after 1978, 1997, and 2013.
In the words of the ICC Chairman, Shah, the world-class tournament is set to further elevate the sport’s global stature. Shah also stated that during his time at the ICC, the apex body remains open to new ideas and is constantly exploring ways to sustain the upward momentum of women’s cricket. This further solidifies Jay Sha's vision to take the sport collectively on new levels.
On top of that, the overall prize money for the eight-team marquee tournament is set to see a monumental rise of 297 percent. Rising from $3.5 million at the last edition held in New Zealand in 2022 to a whopping $13.88 million (US Dollars).
As Jay Shah turns 37, his contributions to Indian cricket, especially women's cricket, can not be overlooked. Through his significant contributions, Shah has brought a holistic revolution, empowering the women in blue. While at the same time, it gives the budding cricketers a platform to achieve their dreams in a male-dominant country.
.jpg?type=mq "How IPL Player Performed In CPL?")
