Pawar gets what he wants: ICC post before WC

The Indian Express had reported on June 14 that Pawar was looking to be in charge of the ICC by the time the next World Cup is staged.

Ray Mali of South Africa took over as ICC chief last month for a year, filling in for compatriot Percy Sonn who passed away following medical complications.

“A compromise would see Morgan in charge until 2010, with Pawar succeeding him. Both of them will become vice-president, in effect president elect,” the BBC claimed.

Pawar is currently in London, along with BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah, to attend a series of semi-official meetings with ICC officials ahead of the world body’s annual conference at Lord’s on Friday. The report said that a “formal announcement of the Morgan-Pawar decision is expected later in the week.”

The Pawar-Morgan race had become intense over the last six months with a deadlock on votes letting Sonn continue as ICC chief for an extra year. Sonn, however, died in South Africa, with Mali being “unanimously” nominated to step in till the new president was to be elected next year.

Significantly, the deal, if it comes through, will give Pawar control over the world body when he needs it the most — the 2011 World Cup to be jointly hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Recently, Pawar was elected as the chairman of the mega event’s organising committee.