Shashank Manohar has been elected unopposed as the chairman of the International Cricket Council for a two-year term with immediate effect. This comes two days after the 58-year-old stepped down as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India following a seven-month stint.

Manohar, who will be the ICC's first independent chairman, said in a statement that his objective is "to grow our sport and engage a whole new generation of fans". He added, "I look forward to working with all stakeholders to shape the future of cricket, which has a proud history and rich tradition."

Earlier, Manohar had dismissed claims that he had sacrificed the BCCI presidency for the ICC's top job. In an interview with the Times of India, he had pointed out that it was under his watch that the ICC had decided to move to having a chairman who is not affiliated with any other governing body. “I could have continued to be the BCCI president as well as ICC chairman and not pushed for a change in the global body to have an independent head,” he had said.