Pawar opts out of ICC top job race, for now

BCCI President Sharad Pawar has ruled himself out of immediate contention for the top job in the International Cricket Council, even as the Asian bloc seemed set to renominate him as their candidate.

Pawar said the post, which became vacant after the death of Percy Sonn, should go to a South African.

"Sonn had a tenure of two years and since it was not completed, we feel another South African office-bearer should get the post. This is because Sonn's tenure belonged to his country," Pawar said.

"The ICC President's seat did not come to BCCI and if someone other than South Africa claims it, it is wrong," the cricket board chief told NDTV.

Pawar had earlier been pitted as a candidate to succeed Sonn against England Cricket Board chief David Morgan but the ICC Board saw a split vote between the two and consequently extended Sonn's tennure till 2009.

Sonn, a former South African board chairman, died on May 27 after developing complications from a colon operation in Cape Town, South Africa.

The ICC will appoint an acting president to chair its annual meeting in the third week of June.