ICC accepts Mustafa Kamal's resignation

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council today accepted the resignation of its disgruntled President Mustafa Kamal, who quit the position after being denied the honour of presenting the World Cup winners' trophy.

"The International Cricket Council (ICC) today confirmed that Mr Mustafa Kamal has tendered his resignation as the ICC President with immediate effect," the ICC said in a statement.

In his resignation letter to the ICC Chief Executive David Richardson, Kamal said he was stepping down on personal grounds and offered his apologies to all associated with the ICC, while adding that he had no complaints to make against anyone.

"Let the game of cricket under the leadership of ICC touch the hearts and minds of every cricket lover," he was quoted as saying by the ICC.

The ICC Board will now consider the vacant position of the ICC President at its forthcoming meeting in Dubai April on 15 and 16.

Kamal was livid at not being given the opportunity to hand out the World Cup trophy to champions Australia and had left the Melbourne Cricket Ground even before the final finished. Instead, Srinivasan handed over the trophy to Australian skipper Michael Clarke.

Kamal was reportedly denied the honours after he blamed poor umpiring for Bangladesh's comprehensive loss to India in the quarterfinals. The ICC was forced to issue a statement to reject his charges.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board President today launched an extraordinary attack on ICC Chairman N Srinivasan after returning to the country.

Calling him "rotten and controversial", Kamal said the ICC could well now be called the "Indian Cricket Council".