ICC Chief Executive Officer Geoff Allardice has decided to step down from his position just weeks ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan. The ICC said that they are looking for a replacement.
With the ICC being under pressure to successfully host the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, Allardice has succumbed to the pressure of setting the things right and has finally vacated his position. He was under pressure as he could not present a clear picture of Pakistan's lack of preparations for hosting the event. His role came into scrutiny in the build-up to the Champions Trophy.
The 57-year-old joined the ICC in 2012 as General Manager of Cricket, coming from Cricket Australia, where he served as Cricket Operations Manager. He was appointed CEO of the ICC in November 2021, after having served as acting CEO for eight months.
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Geoff Allardice Releases Statement After Stepping Down As ICC Chief
He was answerable to the ICC on India's unwillingness to travel to Pakistan to participate in the event. Finally, the ICC agreed to the hybrid model policy for the Men in Blue. He was also questioned by the Indian broadcasters Star for the continued delay in releasing the schedule of the tournament. The schedule was to be released at least 100 days before the tournament began but that was not the case.
"It has been a privilege to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council and I am incredibly proud of the results we have achieved, from enhancing the global reach of cricket to the commercial foundation put in place for ICC Members. I believe this is the right time for me to step down and pursue new challenges," Allardice said in a statement.
The ICC did not reveal the exact details regarding the stepping down of Geoff Allardice. However, sources close to the ICC said that the decision was thought about internally for a long time. He further said that Allardice's inability to not provide an update on the preparations for the Champions Trophy made them accept his decision.
"The ICC T20 World Cup in the US was big a flop in terms of playing conditions and also it exceeded budget, the auditing is still being done," the board member told PTI on conditions of anonymity. What broke the camel's back was Champions Trophy where as CEO, he was supposed to give a clear picture about readiness of Pakistan to host a tourney of such magnitude," he added.
With the ground conditions still not ready in Pakistan, it will be an interesting to see whether the board can make all the necessary arrangements before the tournament starts. Pakistan, not to forget, are the defending champions of the tournament having won the title in 2017.
