Indonesia cricket chief secures 71 per cent of votes, pledges to advance opportunities for Associate nations and support ICC’s global expansion
New Delhi, Sept 2026 : Persatuan Cricket Indonesia Chairman Abhiram Singh Yadav has been elected as the Associate Member representative on the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) influential Chief Executives’ Committee (CEC), securing a decisive mandate in an online election held to fill a vacant position.
Yadav received 30 votes, accounting for 71 per cent of the votes cast, to finish ahead of Jersey Cricket’s Sarah Gomersall, who secured nine votes, while Germany’s Vignaesh Sankaran received three votes. His election comes as Associate nations seek greater representation and opportunities within the global cricketing structure.
Yadav will fill the vacancy created after France’s Gurumurthy Palani was elevated to the ICC Board at the governing body’s annual conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, in July. He will serve the remaining 10 months of the two-year term alongside fellow Associate representatives Gurdeep Klair of Canada and Anuraag Bhatnagar of Hong Kong.
Speaking after the results were announced, Yadav said he was humbled by the confidence shown by the Associate Members and emphasised that his responsibility would extend to the entire Associate membership.
“I am deeply humbled by the trust the Associate Members have placed in me. From this moment, my responsibility is not only to those who supported my candidature -- it is to every Associate Member. An election is decided by votes, but representation cannot be divided by them,” Yadav told IANS from Bali.
He said he intended to maintain an open approach towards members irrespective of their geographical location, level of development or voting preference.
“Whatever a Member’s choice in this election, wherever they come from and whatever their stage of development, my door will be equally open to everyone,” he added.
Yadav also expressed his appreciation for ICC Chairman Jay Shah’s approach towards the expansion of cricket and said the sport needed to reach new markets and generations.
“I have tremendous respect for the leadership, energy and ambition that Mr. Jay Shah has brought to global cricket,” Yadav said.
He highlighted what he described as Shah’s emphasis on expanding cricket beyond its traditional markets, developing women’s cricket and creating opportunities across the ICC membership.
“For Associate Members in particular, it is meaningful to have an ICC Chairman who has publicly recognised the vital role Associates play in cricket’s global expansion. It gives emerging cricket nations confidence that we are not standing on the outside of the global game - we are part of building its future,” Yadav said.
The newly elected representative said his objective on the CEC would be to work with ICC leadership, member boards and management to translate broader ambitions for global cricket into concrete programmes and opportunities.
“As a member of the CEC, I am ready to work alongside Mr. Shah, the ICC leadership, the Board, the CEC, ICC management and our Member countries in supporting that vision and helping turn those ambitions into meaningful progress for the game,” he said.
Yadav’s election comes against the backdrop of Indonesia’s efforts to strengthen its cricketing infrastructure and international presence under his chairmanship of Persatuan Cricket Indonesia.
During his tenure, Indonesia qualified for the inaugural ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 and subsequently made its debut at the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai. The country has also been working to improve its domestic cricket infrastructure, including the development of permanent turf wickets through the Bali International Oval project.
The project has also received public endorsement from ICC Chief Executive Officer Sanjog Gupta, highlighting the growing focus on developing cricket infrastructure beyond the sport’s established centres.
Yadav emerged from a field that included candidates representing European Associate nations, including Jersey, the Netherlands and Germany. His election gives Indonesia representation on a key ICC committee responsible for discussions involving the administration and development of international cricket.
In his first remarks following the election, Yadav also pointed to several developments that he believes are creating new opportunities for the sport globally.
“Cricket is entering an extraordinary era. We are returning to the Olympic Games, women’s cricket continues to grow, technology and digital platforms are transforming how people experience the sport, and new cricketing nations and generations of fans are emerging around the world,” he said.
The inclusion of cricket in the Olympic Games is expected to provide another international platform for the sport, while the growth of women’s cricket and the expansion of digital platforms are reshaping its global reach.
Yadav said Associate Members should have a more active role in shaping this expansion rather than simply benefiting from initiatives developed elsewhere.
“Associate Members should not simply be beneficiaries of cricket’s global growth. We should be active partners in helping deliver it,” he said.
He added that his focus would be on contributing to a cricketing ecosystem that is modern, sustainable and inclusive while preserving the traditional characteristics of the sport.
“I want to contribute wherever I can towards a cricketing world that is modern, sustainable and inclusive, while protecting everything that makes our game special,” Yadav said.
With 10 months remaining in his term, Yadav will now join Klair and Bhatnagar as the Associate Member representatives on the CEC. His election gives Indonesia a direct voice in the committee at a time when the ICC is seeking to broaden cricket’s geographic footprint and develop the sport among emerging nations.
Yadav said his immediate responsibility would be to represent the interests of the wider Associate membership while working with the ICC leadership and other member countries on initiatives aimed at expanding participation, infrastructure and opportunities across the global game.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
