Dubai, Nov 23 : International Cricket Council (ICC) President Sharad Pawar has said that he is satisfied with outgoing Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat’s contribution to the international governing body of cricket.

Pawar’s comment comes after Lorgat informed the ICC Nominations Committee that he will not seek to renew his term of office which expires on June 30, 2012.

“During his time at the ICC, Haroon Lorgat has steered the ICC through some tricky situations, such as the rescheduling of the 2008 ICC Champions Trophy, the location of the ICC Headquarters in Dubai, the response to the Lahore attack, several doping issues, the recent spot-fixing hearings and the highly successful ICC Cricket World Cup
2011,” Pawar said.

“The game owes Lorgat a debt of gratitude for his good leadership and while we are sad at his departure we understand fully the reasons and wish him well in the future,” he added.

Lorgat became the ICC Chief Executive in June 2008 and will have led the ICC for a period of four years by the time he steps down after the 2012 ICC Annual Conference scheduled in Kuala Lumpur.

Last year, the ICC President had offered Lorgat a three-year extension to his initial three-year term, which ended in June 2011. Instead Lorgat had agreed only a one-year extension to the end of June 2012.

Lorgat says that he has decided to step aside after having delivered a successful World Cup and the new global ICC strategy which is now in place.

“In 2010, I felt there was much work for me to complete during 2011 which included protecting the integrity of the game and restoring the reputation and image of the ICC. Having dealt decisively with the spot-fixing issues, delivered a highly successful ICC Cricket World Cup and adopted a new global strategy, I feel the time is right to move on,” Lorgat said.

“I am hopeful that the independent governance review currently in progress and due to be published after the next board meeting would find acceptable outcomes and thereby leave a legacy for future generations,” he added.

He further said that he was disappointed that the Test World Championship will not be played in 2013, but insisted that he is confident that with the strategic restructures the board have undertaken, all three formats can be sustained at international level.

“Overall I feel personally satisfied with having successfully led the ICC through some difficult issues. I am especially grateful to have worked with our exceptional broadcast and commercial partners and the fantastic people who work at the ICC. I wish to thank each and every one of my staff for supporting me so loyally and ably. Their contributions are enormous in the face of many difficult challenges,” he added.

The ICC Nominations Committee has decided to engage an executive recruitment agency to advertise and identify a successor to Lorgat.

The recruitment process will be managed by the ICC Vice-President, Alan Isaac, and will begin soon. (ANI)