Gupta replaces Allardice as ICC chief executive

Indian Sanjog Gupta has succeeded Australia's Geoff Allardice as chief executive officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body said on Monday.

Gupta previously served as CEO of JioStar Sports, taking up the job after Reliance Industries and Walt Disney's $8.5 billion merger of their Indian media assets in November last year.

His ICC predecessor Allardice, who was appointed CEO in November 2021 after an interim period of eight months following the suspension of Manu Sawhney, stepped down earlier this year.

"These are exciting times for the sport as marquee events grow in stature, commercial avenues widen and opportunities such as the women's game scale in popularity," Gupta, who took charge on Monday, said in a statement.

"Cricket's inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and the rapid acceleration of technology deployment/adoption could act as force-multipliers for the cricket movement around the world."

ICC chair Jay Shah said Gupta's experience in sports broadcasting and digital strategy would be invaluable for the governing body.

"His deep understanding of the global sports as well as M&E landscape combined with his continued curiosity about the cricket fan's perspective and passion for technology will prove essential in our ambition to grow the game in the coming years," he added.

"Our goal is to move beyond traditional boundaries and establish cricket as a regular sport in the Olympics, growing its expanse across the world and deepening its roots in its core markets." REUTERS