Former BCCI president IS Bindra passes away at 84

Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Inderjit Singh Bindra passed away in New Delhi on Sunday at the age of 84, marking the end of one of the most influential administrative careers in Indian cricket history.

Bindra served as BCCI president between 1993 and 1996, but his impact on the game extended far beyond that tenure. His strongest influence came through the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), where he remained president for an extraordinary 36 years, from 1978 to 2014, before retiring from cricket administration.

One of Bindra’s most enduring legacies was the development of the PCA Stadium in Mohali, which later came to be named after him. Under his stewardship, the venue became one of India’s premier international cricket grounds, hosting several high-profile matches, including the 2011 World Cup semi-final, where India defeated Pakistan in the presence of the Prime Ministers of both countries.

Alongside former BCCI presidents NKP Salve and Jagmohan Dalmiya, Bindra played a crucial role in bringing the 1987 World Cup to the Indian subcontinent. It was the first time the tournament was staged outside England, a move that significantly shifted the balance of power in world cricket. Bindra was instrumental in loosening the firm grip of the traditional western bloc, enabling Asian nations led by India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to collaborate in hosting the event.

According to former India team manager and senior BCCI official Amrit Mathur, Bindra also played a behind the scenes diplomatic role during the 1987 World Cup build-up. When Australia and England raised security concerns amid rising India Pakistan tensions in 1986, it was Bindra who suggested that Pakistan’s then military ruler Zia-ul-Haq visit India to ease the impasse.

Despite having differences on several issues, Bindra and Dalmiya once again worked together to ensure the 1996 World Cup was co-hosted by India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. A seasoned bureaucrat and diplomat, Bindra later served as Sharad Pawar’s principal advisor during Pawar’s tenure as ICC chairman.

Paying tribute to Dalmiya after his death in 2015,

“Cricket fans the world over need to remember the modern game and the way it is currently administered would have been very different had it not been for Jaggu,"  Bindra wrote

IS Bindra’s passing marks the loss of a towering figure whose influence helped reshape the global governance of cricket.