Shashank Manohar resigns as ICC chairman with immediate effect

New Delhi: Indian cricket administrator Shashank Manohar resigned as the chairman of International Cricket Council (ICC) with immediate effect.

According to a report in ANI, the 59-year-old has cited personal reasons for leaving the top job in the ICC. The lawyer from Nagpur was elected unopposed to the post for an initial period of two years last May.

In the short-lived tenure, Manohar helped decentralise the power held by the so called 'Big Three' boards of India, Australia and England.

The move, however, managed to irked his parent board the BCCI, even though, he was elected unopposed as the ICC's first independent chairman - one not affiliated to any of its member boards.

ESPNCricinfo carried excerpts of Manohar's resignation letter addressed to ICC chief executive David Richardson.

"I have tried to do my best and have tried to be fair and impartial in deciding matters in the functioning of the Board and in matters related to Member Boards along with the able support of all Directors.

"However, for personal reasons it is not possible for me to hold the august office of ICC Chairman and hence I am tendering my resignation as Chairman with immediate effect. I take this opportunity to thank all the Directors, the Management and staff of ICC for supporting me wholeheartedly. I wish ICC all the very best and hope it achieves greater heights in future," Manohar wrote.

Manohar had last year resigned from the BCCI citing his inability to carry out Lodha Committee reforms in toto. His detractors in BCCI at that time had said he left a sinking ship for the safer confines of the ICC.

The BCCI officials believe that for his personal ambitions to head the ICC, Manohar had not cared about the BCCI's interests.