Mukuhlani Elected ICC Deputy Chair: A Milestone for Zimbabwe and Africa
Tavengwa Mukuhlani has been elected Deputy Chair of the ICC, stepping into the role vacated by Imran Khwaja and marking a significant moment both for Zimbabwean cricket and the global game.
Khwaja’s long association with the ICC Board ended earlier this year. After nearly two decades as an Associate director, the veteran Singapore administrator lost a Board election in July and, within days, resigned as deputy chair. The vacancy has now opened the door for Mukuhlani, whose rise reflects a broader shift in cricket’s power map.
Already a familiar figure in ICC corridors, Mukuhlani sits on the influential Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee and the Nominations Committee, and he chairs the HR and Remuneration Committee. This is not a ceremonial promotion; it places him at the heart of how the sport is funded, governed, and staffed at the highest level.
The timing is no coincidence. Zimbabwe will co-host the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup, a tournament that returns to Africa for the first time in 24 years. In its announcement, the ICC underlined exactly why Mukuhlani’s elevation matters in that context, stressing that his leadership at Zimbabwe Cricket and his regional knowledge will bring “valuable insight” as the organisation and its Members work to deliver a “landmark World Cup” and drive the game’s growth across the continent.
Mukuhlani, for his part, framed the appointment as both an honour and a responsibility. He spoke of the “confidence” shown by his fellow ICC Board Directors and of his gratitude for the chance to serve as Deputy Chair. His focus now is on close collaboration with ICC Chairman Jay Shah, whose “leadership, energy and ambition,” Mukuhlani said, have given the organisation a sharper sense of purpose built around expanding the sport, creating opportunities for Members, and reaching new markets and audiences.
He also placed his new role in the context of a sport on the move. With cricket returning to the Olympic Games and pushing deeper into new territories, Mukuhlani said he is eager to support Shah and the Board in driving shared priorities and protecting what he called the “best interests of cricket globally.”
Shah, in turn, did not underplay the significance of the appointment. The ICC Chair highlighted Mukuhlani’s experience in cricket administration, his grasp of the global game, and his commitment to development as qualities that will be “invaluable” to the Board. Shah stressed that Mukuhlani has earned the trust of his fellow Directors and pointed to a common mission: strengthening cricket across all Members and opening up greater opportunities for the sport to grow worldwide.
Shah described the election as a “significant milestone for Zimbabwe,” noting that Mukuhlani becomes the first Zimbabwean to serve as ICC Deputy Chair.
For a country preparing to help host the World Cup and a continent eager for a larger voice in cricket’s future, that is more than a footnote. It is a marker of where the game is heading next.
