Sharad Pawar

Calcutta: The executive board of the International Cricket Council (ICC), which met in London on Wednesday, has approved an amendment allowing for both David Morgan and Sharad Pawar to be named vice-presidents.

As things stand, there’s provision for one No. 2.

It’s a mere formality, but the amendment must be approved by the general council, which meets on Friday, as well.

England’s Morgan will, of course, also be designated as the president-elect. He’s going to succeed Ray Mali next June.

Pawar will become the president-elect when Morgan takes up the top job. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president is going to head the world body from June 2010.

That suits Asia’s Big Four fine as somebody from the region will be the ICC president when they host the 2011 World Cup.

Morgan (the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman) and Pawar are each going to have a two-year term.

According to The Telegraph’s sources, the amendment was drafted on Tuesday night during meetings involving acting president Mali, Morgan, Pawar, Cricket Australia chairman Creagh ’Connor and former BCCI president Inderjit Singh Bindra.

Bindra, one learns, scripted Pawar’s strategy. It included the bit about the next chief executive either being an Asian or an African.

Incumbent Malcolm Speed’s contract ends on June 30, 2008, and his successor will be identified by January.

“The informal understanding is that the next man is going to be from Asia or Africa… Merit has to be a factor, but somebody from Asia or Africa will get the preference,” a key source pointed out from London.

Apparently, the search is going to begin after the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in September.

In all probability, the ICC will put out an advertisement.