Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman and fugitive businessman Lalit Modi praised International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah, calling him the best person to lead global cricket during a period of rapid growth for the IPL. In a post on social media, Modi said Shah's contribution to cricket has been immense and added that he is the only person he would back to guide the game through the challenges created by the IPL's expanding influence.
Modi said that running global cricket is one of the toughest jobs and claimed that the IPL's continued growth would make the rest of the cricketing world envious. He stated that the sport needs a strong leader to handle these challenges and expressed full confidence in Shah's ability to do so.
The former IPL chief also urged Shah to improve the functioning of state cricket associations that are not meeting expectations. According to Modi, Shah is in a unique position to bring about such changes and should use all available resources to strengthen the game.
Modi said the ultimate beneficiaries of strong cricket administration would be India, the sport itself, the players and the fans. He added that despite criticism from some quarters, his support for Shah is driven by what he believes is best for cricket, the IPL and everyone connected with the game.
