On Wednesday, Shashank Manohar, who was the first independent chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) finally decided to step down from the position. Manohar got the responsibilities of the chairman global body in November 2015. According to the ICC rules, Manohar has had the right to continue being the chairman of the global body as a maximum of three terms is allowed.

The 62-year-old lawyer was previously teh president of teh BCCI between 2008 to 2011. In the press release regarding the same, the apex body stated, “ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar has stepped down after two, two-year tenures at its helm. The ICC Board met today and agreed that Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja will assume the responsibilities of the Chairperson until a successor is elected.”

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The process for the election of the next chairperson is expected to be approved by the global body within the next week.  

ICC’s Chief Executive Manu Sawhney thanked Manohar “for his leadership and everything he has done for the sport as ICC Chairman.” On the other hand, Khwaja said that the former BCCI President is leaving the sport in a better position. 

Khawaja had said, “There is no doubt that cricket owes Shashank a debt of gratitude for all he has done for the sport. He has left cricket and the ICC in a better place than he found it.”

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The global body is expected to finalize the nomination process to elect the replacement for  Shashank Manohar next week as they have not yet managed to take a final call on several crucial issues. The global body met via video-conference last week with a key point in the agenda was whether to adopt a process that selects or elects the new Chairman.