Ahead of IPL 2021, former Gujarat cop lands in a role with BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is the richest cricketing board globally, which Sourav Ganguly currently heads. The board is preparing to conduct the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League, slated to get underway from April 9, as it eyes a corruption-free campaign.

In a piece of great news for Indian cricketing fans, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has roped in Shabir Hussein Shekhadam Khandwawala as its new Anti-Corruption Unit chief. Khandwawala happens to be a former director-general of police in Gujarat.

Khandwawala would be replacing former BCCI ACU head Ajit Singh, whose term ended on March 31. However, Ajit would be sticking around for a while to help his successor settle down.

"It is a matter of a great honour that I am part of the BCCI, which is the best-run cricketing body in the world. Besides my expertise on security matters, what should help me in this role is my love for the game. I also want to congratulate my predecessor for doing a fine a job and keeping Indian cricket's image clean," Khandwawala was quoted as saying to PTI.

Khandwawala's appointment comes as a surprise as BCCI did not send out invitations for the role's applications. Meanwhile, he had retired as director-general in 2010 and had served in the corporate sector for ten years.

Khandwawala's official role would begin in the upcoming Indian Premier League, with the opening game between defending champion Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore on Friday. He had also witnessed the third and final One-Day International in Pune between India-England last week to monitor how the job is done.