ICC Under Fire for Promoting Chairman Jay Shah on Official Channels

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has come under criticism after sharing a social media post highlighting its chairman, Jay Shah, for his inclusion in a list of the most powerful Indians.

The post, shared on the ICC’s official accounts, noted Shah’s rise to 22nd position in the IE100 list for 2026.

“It is said that power and responsibility go hand-in-hand. This recognition is well-deserved and one that will definitely motivate our chairman [Jay Shah] to strive harder towards loftier goals for the Sport,” the ICC wrote.

However, the post did not sit well with many cricket fans, who criticized it as unrelated to the sport. Several questioned why a global governing body would promote what appeared to be a personal achievement rather than cricket-related updates.

Fans argued that ICC platforms should be reserved for matters directly related to the game. Critics also raised concerns about professionalism and the appropriate use of official communication channels, suggesting the post resembled personal promotion.

“Shame on ICC for stooping this low. They are acting as a social media PR for Jay Shah… Ridiculous,” wrote a user named on X, formerly Twitter.

Another user also criticized the move, calling it “embarrassing” and urging the ICC to focus on cricket instead of promoting individual achievements.

“Shocking that ICC is now playing personal PR agent for Chairman Jay Shah — breathlessly reporting his climb up some Indian power list,” the user wrote.

This is not the first time the ICC and Shah have faced criticism. Last year, fans reacted negatively to Shah’s repeated appearances in a promotional video for the World Test Championship (WTC) final between Australia and South Africa.

In the 45-second video, Shah appeared 11 times, including scenes of his arrival at the venue and presenting the ICC Test Mace to the winning team. The video was widely criticized in the comments section and was eventually removed.

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