The ICC board has appointed Zimbabwe Cricket chief Tavengwa Mukuhlani as its deputy chair in the lead-up to hosting the 2027 ODI World Cup in Southern Africa.

A press release on Thursday said, “With his leadership experience at Zimbabwe Cricket and his understanding of the region, Mr Mukuhlani will bring valuable insight as the ICC and its members work towards delivering a landmark World Cup that will return the tournament to Africa after 24 years and further strengthen the growth and development of cricket across the continent.”

Zimbabwe will co-host the ODI World Cup next October and November along with South Africa and Namibia.

Mukuhlani has been ZC’s chair since 2015 and has been re-elected three times. He also sits on the ICC’s finance and commercial affairs committee. In his tenure, ZC has worked its way out of debt, navigated an ICC suspension for government interference, and got the women’s team on the future tours programme. Zimbabwe’s men’s team, by virtue of being co-hosts, will be playing the ODI World Cup for the first time since 2015.

Mukuhlani will be the first Zimbabwean to serve as the ICC’s deputy chair. His tenure runs till November 2027. He takes over the role from Imran Khwaja, the Singapore cricket administrator who was first elected to the ICC Board in 2008. “Cricket is entering an exciting period, particularly with its return to the Olympic Games [in LA 2028] and continued global expansion,” Mukuhlani said. “I look forward to supporting our Chairman, Mr Jay Shah and fellow board directors in advancing our shared priorities and serving the best interests of cricket globally.”