After South African Imtiaz Patel pulled out from International Cricket Council’s CEO post, due to personal reasons, the ICC’s Recruitment Committee comprising President Elect David Morgan, Vice-President Sharad Pawar and Australian representative Craig O’Corner decided on former Sri Lanka Test cricketer Roshan Mahanama.
Mahanama was one of the shortlisted candidates alongside Patel, former South African all-rounder Mike Procter and Indian cricket heavyweight I.S. Bindra.
Morgan and O’Corner are in Dubai finalizing other recruitments for the world cricket body and on hearing Patel’s withdrawal, the duo held a teleconference with Pawar, who is India and decided to propose Mahanama’s name to ICC’s Board of Directors. The approval from the Board of Directors is considered to be a mere formality and Mahanama will take over on the 4th of July from Malcolm Speed, who will step down after ICC’s Annual Conference.
Speed, the former CEO of the Australian cricket board, took over from another Australian David Richards as the CEO of the ICC in 2001 and served under four Presidents of the ICC.
Mahanama will be contracted for three years, which will end at the end of the 2011 World Cup.
41-year-old Mahanama played 53 Tests and over 200 ODIs for Sri Lanka and he was part of the World Cup winning Sri Lankan side. He retired in 1999 and had a brief stint as coach of the Sri Lanka ‘A’ team. He began his career with the ICC in 2004 when he was appointed as a Match Referee.
Mahanama, who is in India, officiating India South Africa cricket series was not available for comments.
