Mark Nicholas

President of MCC

Mark Nicholas is a prominent figure in the world of cricket, known for his extensive career as a player, commentator, and writer. Mark captained Hampshire County Cricket Club from 1985 to 1995, leading them to several trophies, including the Benson & Hedges Cup.

After retiring as a player, he became a globally respected broadcaster, working with major networks such as Channel 4, Channel 5, and Australia's Nine Network, bringing his deep knowledge and charismatic style to millions of viewers. Mark has also written extensively on cricket, including his acclaimed book "A Beautiful Game: My Love Affair with Cricket." 

In 2023, he was elected President of MCC reflecting his enduring leadership and commitment to shape the future of cricket, fostering dialogue and innovation within the game.

Mike Atherton

Sky Sports broadcaster and The Times journalist

Michael Atherton, is a much-respected former England cricket captain and current cricket commentator. Known for his resilience and technical proficiency as an opening batter, Atherton had a distinguished career with the England national team from 1989 to 2001. He captained England in 54 Test matches, more than any previous captain, and was renowned for his leadership during challenging periods.

Atherton's career highlights include several notable innings, such as his epic 185* against South Africa in 1995, demonstrating his grit and determination. After retiring from professional cricket, Atherton transitioned to a successful career in journalism and broadcasting. He has become a respected voice in cricket commentary with Sky Sports, known for his insightful analysis and articulate presentation. In addition, Atherton's contributions in The Times help set the agenda around the current topics impacting the global game.

Greg Barclay

ICC Chair

Greg Barclay has been a director of New Zealand Cricket for 12 years and Chair since 2016.
 
He has been on the board of the International Cricket Council (ICC) as NZC's appointment since 2014 and became ICC Chair in 2020. He was a director of Cricket World Cup 2015, delivering the Men's Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
 
A former board member and chairman of the Northern Districts Cricket Association, Greg is an Auckland-based commercial lawyer and an experienced company director, holding board positions with various New Zealand and Australian companies.
 
He has a long career in governance and sports management and has owned a sport and event management company for the past 20 years, providing various services to sports organisations in New Zealand, mainly involving large-scale occasions such as rugby Tests, world tournaments, and concert and cultural events. 

Diana Puketapu-Lyndon

New Zealand Cricket Chair

Diana Puketapu Lyndon is one of the most influential women in New Zealand sport, wearing dual hats as chair of New Zealand Cricket, and chair of the New Zealand Olympic Committee.  She is the first female chair and the first Maori chair of both organisations.
 
Diana brings a wealth of business, financial and governance experience to NZ Cricket.  She has been a director on two publicly-listed companies, on charitable organisations as well as privately-owned business.
 
She's also been heavily involved with sport -- as CFO of two America's Cup sailing campaigns (American team BMW Oracle Racing and British Team Origin), as well as being formerly on the board of the World Masters Games.

Diana grew up watching and supporting cricket, played it socially, and later cheered on her kids from the boundary edge. She was on the Board of New Zealand Cricket for six years before being elected chair last year.

Richard Thompson

ECB Chair

Richard became Chair of the ECB on 1 September 2022, having been Chair of Surrey County Cricket Club from 2010-2022, in which time they won their first County Championship title in 16 years. He is the founder and Chair of management agency M&C Saatchi Merlin; Chair of the broader M&C Saatchi UK Group and Chair of Southshore Group (ITV-Owned TV production company).
 
Richard left school at 16 and set up his first business at 19, a computer sales group. Ten years later, he set up EMS, which he turned into a £25m sales and marketing agency before selling to Mosaic Group. In 2003, he set up a management agency, Merlin Elite, for leading names in sport, music and entertainment, selling a 60% stake to M&C Saatchi in 2013.
 
In 2020 Richard was appointed as Chair of the broader M&C Saatchi UK Group. Richard has also worked with LDC (Lloyds Development Capital) in Private Equity Turnrounds, chairing Mama Group to a successful sale to Live Nation and Two Four Group who he successfully sold to ITV. Richard is also the Chair and Founder of Sport United Against Dementia -- SUAD, part of the Alzheimer's Society. 

Brendon McCullum

ECB - Head Coach, England Men

Brendon McCullum is a former New Zealand captain, renowned for his aggressive batting style and innovative leadership. McCullum played for the New Zealand national team from 2002 to 2016, earning a reputation as one of the most dynamic players in the sport. He became the first player to score 1,000 runs in T20 internationals and holds the record for the fastest Test century, achieved in just 54 balls.
 
After retiring, McCullum transitioned into coaching, bringing his bold and strategic approach to the role. In 2022, he was appointed head coach of the England cricket team. Under his guidance, England adopted a more attacking and fearless style of play, aiming to dominate world cricket and having a significant impact on the international cricket stage.

Manoj Badale

Lead Owner, Rajasthan Royals

Manoj Badale is Co-Founder of Blenheim Chalcot (BC), the UK's leading digital venture builder. Blenheim Chalcot traces its roots back to netdecisions which Manoj and business partner Charles Mindenhall co-founded back in 1998, and Manoj is still actively involved with many of the BC companies. Manoj is also the lead investor and owner of Indian Premier League franchise, Rajasthan Royals.

Serving as its first Chair, Major helped establish the British Asian Trust with HM King Charles III when he was The Prince of Wales. Manoj remained as Chair of the Trust for 14 years. He was also Chairman of Operation Smile UK for over 10 years, and a founding Trustee of the Technology Trust.

Manoj has an MA in economics from Emmanuel College, Cambridge University and was formerly a partner at Monitor Company where he spent time in the UK, Germany and India.

Manoj was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2018 for his services to the economy and charity. 

Mike Baird

Cricket Australia Chair

Mike Baird AO was elected Chair of Cricket Australia on 10 December 2022 becoming the 41st Chair in the organisation's history.

Mike is the CEO of HammondCare, an independent Christian charity providing health, palliative, dementia, and aged care services. Prior to commencing at HammondCare, Mike was a member of the National Australia Bank executive leadership team from 2017 to 2020. 

Former Premier of New South Wales, Mike describes himself as a complete cricket tragic and is currently a proud patron of Manly Cricket Club.

Jos Buttler

England Men's ODI & T20 captain

Now one  of England's best-known cricketing stars, Jos Buttler rose through the ranks of English cricket with his aggressive batting style and exceptional glove work. After starring for Somerset, he made his international debut in 2011 and quickly established himself as a vital player in both white-ball formats.
 
He went on to become a key figure in England's incredible white-ball revolution and was appointed as their white-ball captain in 2022 following the retirement of Eoin Morgan.
 
Renowned for his innovative shot-making and explosive hitting, Buttler starred in England's historic 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup victory on home soil before leading his country to win the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.
 
Beyond his national team contributions, Buttler is a sought-after commodity in domestic cricket across the globe. He has captained Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and has also featured in Australia's Big Bash and the SA20. At home, he moved counties in 2013 to switch from Somerset to Lancashire and has represented Manchester Originals in The Hundred.

Kumar Sangakkara

Former Sri Lankan Cricketer, Current Head Coach of the Rajasthan Royals and Current Broadcaster

Kumar Sangakkkara is regarded as one of Sri Lanka's greatest players, and one of the leading wicketkeeper-batters to have played the game. He has served on the MCC World Cricket committee since 2012. 

Sangakkara was MCC President in 2020 and 2021, before succeeding Mike Gatting as Chair of the World Cricket committee in 2023, and chaired his first meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, in February 2024. 

In his career as an international cricketer, he played 134 Tests, 404 ODIs and 56 T20Is for Sri Lanka, captaining his country 81 times.  

In 2012, he was named ICC Cricketer of the Year as well as receiving the double accolade of being named one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year and their Leading Cricketer of the Year (receiving the latter award again in 2015).

Sanjog Gupta

Star TV Network Head of Sports

Sanjog Gupta heads the Sports portfolio for Star & Disney India supporting its linear (Star Sports) & non-linear platforms (Disney+ Hotstar) platforms. Star & Disney India is the nation's leading sports broadcaster and one of the world's largest, serving more than 600+ million viewers across TV & Digital. His mandate, as part of managing the business, includes content, marketing, production, Tech R&D, revenue, and strategy.

With nearly two decades of varied experience in media & entertainment, Sanjog has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of Sports broadcasting in India, which has seen record viewership for cricket properties such as the IPL the emergence and scale-up of Kabaddi and launch of football league such as the Indian Super League.

Delivery of interactive experiences and deployment of live AR/VR -- both world firsts -- on Star Sports' Cricket broadcasts and the use of state-of-the-art production technology have been crucial milestones in Sanjog's vision. Sanjog aims to make India a sporting nation, driving the future of sports experiences through an interplay of technology and creativity.

Heather Knight

England Women’s Captain

Heather Knight is one of the trailblazers for the women's game both in England and around the world, having captained her country since 2016 and leading them to win the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup at Lord's only a year after taking on the role.

The all-rounder made her England debut in 2010 and has since gone on to play 100 matches in both One-Day International and T20 cricket, amassing over 5,500 white-ball runs in the process. She has made centuries in all three formats of the game, including 157 against Australia to secure a draw in a Test match between the teams in 2013 which ultimately saw England regain the Ashes.

With an increase of opportunities in franchise cricket in the women's game, Knight has also represented Hobart Hurricanes and Sydney Thunder in the Women's Big Bash, and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Women's Premier League.

Knight joined the MCC World Cricket committee in the summer of 2023 and has represented MCC on the pitch on several occasions, including in the MCC Women v Rest of the World XI Women match at Lord's in 2014.

Ravi Shastri

Former Head Coach of India, Current Broadcaster

Ravi Shastri, a distinguished former Indian cricketer, and celebrated coach, was known for his versatile all-rounder skills. Shastri played for the Indian national team from 1981 to 1992, contributing significantly both as a batter and a left-arm spin bowler. He played a pivotal role in India's victory in the 1983 Cricket World Cup and was named the Champion of Champions in the 1985 World Championship of Cricket.

After retiring from professional cricket, Shastri began a successful broadcasting career, becoming a prominent voice in cricket commentary. In 2017, he was appointed head coach of the Indian cricket team, a position he held until 2021. Under his leadership, India achieved historic victories, including a Test series win in Australia and a dominant home record, leaving an indelible mark on Indian cricket.

Trudy Lindblade

Cricket Scotland CEO

Trudy Lindblade was appointed CEO of Cricket Scotland in October 2023. Before this, she served as CEO of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships. With over 12 years of experience in cycling events, Trudy has held senior roles, leading the operations team at the 2010 UCI Road World Championships and becoming Event Director for the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships. She was also General Manager of Australia Cycling Events, overseeing major cycling events.

From 2013 to 2020, Trudy worked at the Victorian Major Events Company (now Visit Victoria), where she played a key role in creating the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, a prominent UCI WorldTour event. Beyond cycling, she contributed to various major event acquisitions, notably securing Melbourne's bid for the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup matches and organising Liverpool Football Club's first appearance in Australia in 2013. Trudy's extensive experience in sports event management makes her a dynamic leader in cricket administration.

Venky Mysore

Kolkata Knight Riders CEO

Venky Mysore is the CEO and Managing Director of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), current champions of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Under his leadership since 2010, KKR has transformed into a successful and profitable team, winning the IPL titles in 2012 and 2014, as well as this year’s triumph. Mysore's strategic vision has been pivotal in expanding the KKR brand globally, including the acquisition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) team, Trinbago Knight Riders, which has also achieved remarkable success.

Before joining KKR, Mysore held senior positions in the insurance and finance sectors, including MetLife and Sun Life Financial. His extensive experience in business development and management has significantly contributed to the growth and commercial success of KKR. Mysore is also known for his innovative approach to sports management and commitment to building strong team cultures.

Kevin Pietersen

Former England player and Current Broadcaster

Kevin Pietersen MBE is a former English cricketer and captain of the England Test and ODI teams. One of the fastest and most destructive batters in English cricket, Pietersen played some of the most astonishing innings by an England player in recent history, ending his career with 32 centuries in Tests and ODIs. He was the Player of the Tournament when England won its first ICC World Cup event, the ICC World T20 in 2010. 

Aside from being an active voice in the game of cricket, including as a broadcaster for various channels, Pietersen devotes his time to SORAI (Save Our Rhinos in Africa and India), an initiative he set up to raise awareness for the protection of rhinos globally.

Lisa Sthaleker

President of the World Cricketers’ Association

Lisa is a former Australian captain who made 187 international appearances for her country. She scored almost 4,000 international runs and took more than 200 international wickets. Lisa is a member of both the Cricket Australia and ICC Halls of Fame. 

Lisa has done significant work promoting the development of the game and player interests in various roles, including as a former Independent Director of FICA and on the Australian Cricketers’ Association Executive. Since finishing her playing career she has forged a career as a broadcaster, and is also the current player-nominated representative on the ICC Women’s Committee.

Ramiz Raja

Former Chair of PCB and Current Broadcaster

A former international cricketer for Pakistan, Ramiz Raja represented his country in 198 ODIs and a further 57 times in Test matches.. He was a member of the Pakistan squad that won the World Cup in 1992.

After retiring from cricket in 1997, Raja has been since one of the world's most prominent commentators, featuring on BBC Test Match Special, ICC World Cup tournament broadcasts, and on Sky Sports amongst many others. He also went on to serve as Chair of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Graeme Smith

SA20 League Commissioner

Graeme Smith became South Africa's youngest captain when he was handed the role at the age of 22 and went on to be regarded as one of his country's greatest ever skippers.

He was handed the captaincy in 2003 and continued to score heavily at the top of the order, making 151 against Pakistan in Cape Town before successive double-centuries at the start of an incredible tour of England.

His 277 at Edgbaston was followed-up by 259 at Lord's, as the Proteas defeated England by an innings and 92 runs. His innings remains the highest Test match score by any overseas player at the Home of Cricket. 

He was appointed South Africa's Director of Cricket shortly after he retired from the game in 2014, and became the first Commissioner of SA20, a T20 league which has enjoyed much success since its launch. Smith joined the MCC World Cricket committee in February 2023.

Clare Connor

ECB Deputy CEO and England Women MD

Clare Connor is a celebrated former cricketer and influential cricket administrator. As an all-rounder, she played for the England women's cricket team from 1995 to 2006, captaining the side from 2000 until her retirement. Under her leadership, England won the Ashes in 2005, their first Ashes victory in 42 years, marking a significant achievement in women's cricket.

Post-retirement, Connor moved into cricket administration, becoming the Head of Women's Cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2007. She has been instrumental in the development and promotion of women's cricket globally. In 2021, she made history as the first female President of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), a prestigious position in cricket's historic institution and is current Deputy CEO of ECB and MD of England Women's Cricket.

Matthew Wheeler

A&W Capital Founder and CEO

Matthew Wheeler has been a leading figure in the commercial and investment sector of international sport for over 25 years as a senior executive, entrepreneur and adviser working with clients in Europe, North America and Asia.

He has chaired six private equity-backed businesses in the sport and leisure sector and has advised some of the largest international private equity funds (including Bridgepoint, CVC, Advent, KKR, Permira and Cinven) on billion-dollar transactions. He has sat on the boards of two professional football clubs (Eintracht Frankfurt and DC United) and in 2022 helped CVC set up Gujarat Titans, one of the IPL's newest franchises.

Matthew is a former professional cricketer, having played at Northamptonshire for 10 years before retiring in 2019, and was on the board and Non-Executive Chairman of the Professional Cricketers Association in England and Wales.

Sir Andrew Strauss

Former England Cricket player, Broadcaster and Founder of the Ruth Strauss Foundation

Sir Andrew Strauss has been described as one of the greatest English cricketers of all time, having played 100 Test matches and 127 ODIs. In 2009, Andrew was appointed captain of the England team and proceeded to join a select group of three players who have won the Ashes both at home and away, eventually taking England to the top of the Test rankings.

Following his retirement as a player in 2012, Strauss has gone on to spend his time as a broadcaster for Sky Sports and a columnist for The Sunday Times before returning to ECB as Director of Cricket in 2015. Strauss was an essential part of the leadership team that helped England to win at the ICC Men’s World Cup at Lord’s in 2019, showing his capabilities both on and off the pitch.

Sir Andrew was awarded an MBE in 2005, followed by an OBE in 2011 and knighted for his services to charity, sport and cricket in 2019.

Sundar Raman

CSK/SA20 Advisor and Former COO of IPL

Sundar Raman is a prominent sports executive, best known for his tenure as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2008 to 2015. Instrumental in the league's establishment, Raman's strategic vision and operational expertise helped transform the IPL into the world's most popular and lucrative cricket tournament.

Before his IPL role, Raman had a successful career in media and advertising, working with leading firms like Mindshare and GroupM. His background in marketing and media rights negotiations significantly contributed to the IPL's commercial success, including landmark broadcasting deals.

After leaving the IPL, Raman continued to influence the sports industry, taking on advisory roles and contributing to various sports ventures. His deep understanding of sports management and marketing has made him a sought-after expert in the field. Raman's innovative approach and leadership have left an indelible mark on modern sports administration.

Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian cricketer and former BCCI President

Sourav Ganguly made his Test debut for India at Lord's in 1996 and over a twelve-year career, became one of the finest batters that his country has ever produced.

He had made his One-Day International bow for India four years earlier in 1992 but had to wait four years to make his mark on the team, in both Test and ODI cricket. 

When he did, Ganguly went on to amass 7,212 runs in his 113 Test matches, and 11,363 runs in 311 ODI matches, the latter record seeing him sit ninth on the all-time scorers list in that format.

Ganguly captained India between 2000 and 2005, and led his side to the World Cup Final of 2003, India's first final since their seminal win at Lord's in the 1983 tournament.

In 2002, he was behind one of the most iconic moments in the history of the Ground, as he removed his shirt on the balcony of the away dressing room to celebrate a comeback victory against England in the final of the NatWest Series.

Ganguly retired from the game in 2012 and later became the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2019 until 2022. He was added to the MCC World Cricket committee in 2014 and bestowed with Honorary Life Membership of the Club in 2015.