Jay Shah’s Prominent Appearance in WTC Final Video Draws Criticism

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has stirred controversy after sharing a brief highlight reel of memorable moments from the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which featured South Africa and Australia. The video, posted on social media, has been met with criticism and trolling from cricket enthusiasts.

The 45-second commemorative video of the WTC final prominently showcased ICC chairman Jay Shah. Instead of focusing on key moments from the match, the video repeatedly highlighted instances featuring the ICC chairman.

In the short clip, Jay Shah was visible 11 times, from his arrival at the venue to his presentation of the ICC Test Mace to the victorious team during the closing ceremony.

Following the video’s release, viewers quickly took to the comment sections to voice their criticism and mock the ICC’s focus.

One user commented that it seemed like a “Jay Shah PR video with a cricket match happening in the background.”

The Facebook page ‘What Cricket’ posted statistics revealing that while winning captain Temba Bavuma appeared five times and Aiden Markram twice, Jay Shah was shown eleven times. The page jokingly awarded the “Player of the Match” award to Jay Shah.

Another user questioned why an administrator received more screen time than captains and star players, calling it more of a “Jay Shah highlights reel.”

Another comment questioned the repeated appearances of Jay Shah in the video.

Another viewer suggested that the video seemed specifically edited for Jay Shah.

One person questioned if Jay Shah was South Africa’s coach, given his frequent appearance in the video and criticized the video as unprofessional, even calling for his resignation.

South Africa secured victory in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25, defeating reigning champions Australia by five wickets at Lord’s Cricket Ground. This win marks their first title since 1998, when they won the Champions Trophy.

The champions had a first-innings lead of 74 runs after dismissing South Africa for 138. However, Australia only managed to score 207 in their second innings, setting a target of 282 runs.

South Africa’s batting lineup surpassed Australia’s bowling attack, reaching the target with five wickets remaining. Aiden Markram led the team with 136 runs, while Temba Bavuma contributed with a half-century.