Jay Shah, Sourav Ganguly join World Cricket Connects Advisory Board
What's the story
Jay Shah, the chairman of International Cricket Council (ICC), and Sourav Ganguly, the former Indian captain, have been appointed to the newly-formed World Cricket Connects Advisory Board. The announcement was made by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on January 24. Meanwhile, the advisory board is set to convene at Lord's on June 7 and 8 to discuss key challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the sport.
Forum details
World Cricket Connects forum: A platform for influential voices
The World Cricket Connects forum is an MCC event aimed at uniting cricket's foremost thinkers and influencers. Notably, the inaugural edition of this forum in 2024 was a massive success, with around 120 prominent personalities from different facets of cricket in attendance. Meanwhile, this year's event will take place before the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final between South Africa and Australia.
Future plans
MCC's vision for World Cricket Connects
The MCC aims to establish the World Cricket Connects forum as cricket's leading symposium, fostering discussions on strategic issues and shaping the sport's future. Meanwhile, an independent World Cricket Connects Advisory Board has been formed to support this vision. The board will set the forum's annual agenda, facilitate meaningful discussions, and enhance its impact on the sport's development.
New structure
Connects Board replaces MCC World Cricket committee
The Connects Board succeeds the MCC World Cricket Committee, established in 2006. It will continue addressing global cricket issues previously handled by the committee, including topics such as Day/Night Tests, and the World Test Championship. Additionally, they will also address ideas of improving the pace of play, cricket's inclusion in multi-sport events like the Olympics, and strengthening anti-corruption measures.