ICC CEO, Geoff Allardice has announced his resignation just weeks before the much-awaited Champions Trophy that is scheduled to start on February 19. Although the official statement from the ICC did not give clear reasons for his resignation, a board member hinted that Allardice’s failure to give a “clear picture” to the board about Pakistan’s preparedness to host the tourney was one of the key factors behind this resignation.
Geoff Allardice, 57 years old, joined the ICC in 2012 after a career with Cricket Australia as General Manager of Cricket. He was appointed CEO in November 2021 after being acting CEO for eight months. His tenure focused on broadening cricket’s global reach and strengthening its commercial foundation.
“I believe this is the right time for me to step down and pursue new challenges,” Allardice said in a statement, adding, “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.”
Concerns Over Champions Trophy and Readiness of Pakistan
The ICC has come under increasing criticism over the readiness of Pakistan to host this year’s Champions Trophy, which returns after an eight-year gap. It is the first time since 2017 that Pakistan has hosted this competition and with weeks remaining, there are growing concerns over the uncompleted state of tournament venues in Karachi and Rawalpindi. While the ICC would have been aware of these logistical issues, the lack of clarity from Allardice was one of the reasons for his resignation.
Things got worse after the ICC T20 World Cup in the US. The event had been criticized because of poor playing conditions and budget overruns. Speaking anonymously, a board member explained growing frustration: “The ICC T20 World Cup in the US was a big flop in terms of playing conditions and also it exceeded budget, the auditing is still being done. What broke the camel’s back was the Champions Trophy where as CEO, he was supposed to give a clear picture about the readiness of Pakistan to host a tourney of such magnitude.”
Due to security reasons, India’s matches in the Champions Trophy will be played in Dubai as some areas in Pakistan are not considered safe for international events.
Jay Shah Pays Tribute to Leadership of Geoff Allardice
Despite all these challenges, the ICC Chair, Jay Shah, said Allardice had much to thank the organization for in terms of his contribution during the tenure. On behalf of the ICC Board, “I want to thank Geoff sincerely for his leadership and commitment during his time as Chief Executive. His efforts have played a key role in advancing cricket globally,” Shah said. “We are truly grateful for his service and wish him all the very best in his future endeavors.
Ongoing Leadership Change at ICC
Allardice’s resignation joined the long string of leadership changes at the ICC after more than a dozen ICC high-ranking leaders left the board led by then ICC chair, Greg Barclay. Among them have been Chris Tetley, in charge of events; Alex Marshall, head of the Anti-Corruption Unit, and Claire Furlong head of marketing, and media within the last six months.
The ICC Board has since started its process of looking for a successor to Allardice as the governing body transitions leadership before some major global cricket events.