Manohar quits as ICC Chairman, surprises BCCI

Mumbai, March 15 (IANS) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday expressed its surprise at Shashank Manohar's sudden decision to step down as the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"Manohar's contribution to Indian cricket is invaluable. He is a man of few words but excellent deeds," the BCCI said in a statement.

"The BCCI Committee of Administrators (CoA) was looking forward to a long-term cooperation between the ICC and the BCCI with Manohar at the helm of affairs," the BCCI adcded.

"The BCCI wishes him the very best for his future endeavours."

Manohar's decision to quit as the ICC Chairman comes after only eight months in the office. The 59-year-old lawyer of repute was elected unopposed as the ICC's first independent chairman last year. His two-year term was to end in May 2018.

The former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President sent a copy of his resignation letter to ICC CEO Dave Richardson on Wednesday.

The first ICC chief not affiliated to any of its member boards, Manohar took over from N. Srinivasan in May last year after giving up his position of the BCCI President.

Since then, he has tried to curb the disproportionate amount of power wielded by the BCCI, Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

The ICC had passed in principle a new constitution last month that corrected some of the imbalance in influence and financial power of the BCCI, CA and ECB.

A final call on the new constitution was to be taken at the next round of meetings by the ICC boards next month.

Manohar twice served as the BCCI President. He first became the BCCI chief in 2008 and left the post in 2011. Following the death of Jagmohan Dalmiya, he was re-elected as the BCCI President in october 2015.