Former BCCI President Inderjit Singh Bindra passed away at the age of 84. The Punjab Cricket Association confirmed his death on Tuesday. He served as BCCI President from 1993 to 1996 and led the Punjab Cricket Association for nearly three decades.
Bindra played a key role in bringing the 1987 Cricket World Cup to India and Pakistan. This tournament marked the first time a World Cup was hosted outside England. He worked closely with Jagmohan Dalmiya and NKP Salve to organise the event — forever shifting the global cricket administration.
Breaking England’s Control
The 1987 World Cup shifted cricket’s power base from England to the Indian subcontinent. Bindra and his colleagues convinced the ICC to let India and Pakistan co-host the tournament. England and Australia opposed the idea strongly but lost the battle.
The Reliance World Cup 1987 made good money and opened doors for more events. India hosted the 1996 World Cup, with Pakistan and Sri Lanka next. These tournaments helped the BCCI become the richest cricket board anywhere. The World Cup’s growing popularity brought more fans to stadiums across the region.
Changing Cricket’s Business Model
During his tenure, Bindra introduced marketing and sponsorship strategies that helped modernize Indian cricket. He supported ending Doordarshan’s monopoly on cricket broadcasts. A 1994 Supreme Court ruling allowed private television networks to acquire broadcast rights, opening the way for satellite television coverage and expanding the commercial potential of cricket in India.
Cricket started making serious commercial money in the 1990s because of these changes. Bindra’s work with Dalmiya created the sponsorship model that runs cricket today. Their efforts made Indian cricket tournaments worth watching for audiences everywhere.
Working With Dalmiya
Bindra worked closely with Jagmohan Dalmiya from 1980 to 1996. Dalmiya later served as ICC President from 1997 to 2000. Bindra continued to oversee BCCI and Punjab Cricket Association matters during this time. Together, their efforts are credited for extending ICC’s decision-making to more countries instead of just England and Australia.
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Legacy in Cricket Administration
Bindra worked as an IAS officer before moving into cricket administration full-time. He took over as BCCI President in 1993 and stayed for three years.As BCCI President, he oversaw a period of commercial growth for Indian cricket.
The Punjab Cricket Association grew under his leadership for about 30 years. He built cricket facilities in the state and backed young players coming up. His management skills kept the association stable all those years.
The initiatives and policies implemented by Bindra in the 1980s and 1990s laid the foundation for the BCCI’s current commercial success and India’s central role in world cricket administration.
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