A look at some of the major controversies in past World Cups.
A statement from the ICC said outgoing chief executive Malcolm Speed was asked to go on leave on Friday following 'a fundamental breakdown in the relationship between the CEO and a number of ICC board members'.
Cricket Australia chairman Creagh O'Connor lauded the work of the former ICC CEO, who was placed on paid leave after falling out with several board members.
Former ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed has kicked up a controversy by claiming in his memoirs that the New Zealand judge who heard the Sydney Test racial row appeal had accused Indian and Australian cricket boards of colluding behind the scenes in a way that was "disastrous for cricket".
Former International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Malcolm Speed has criticised the decision of the game's governing body to exclude minnow nations from the 2015 World Cup.
If John Howard was rejected for inexperience then even Sharad Pawar does not qualify to be the International Cricket Council (ICC) president as he knows "little about cricket administration", said former ICC CEO Malcolm Speed describing the snub to the ex-Australian Prime Minister a "disgrace".
Allegations of spot-fixing is "endemic" to Pakistan cricket and suspending the entire team is an option, feels former ICC CEO Malcolm Speed.
Called a "buffoon" by former ICC CEO Malcolm Speed but Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt has refused to react to the stinging comment.
Former International Cricket Council chief Malcolm Speed fears Mumbai would not be a favourite venue for foreign teams after the recent terror attacks, which could also have a "large impact" on India staging cricket series and revenues earned from them. The former ICC CEO, however, said he would like cricket to be a part of the healing process in India after the attacks in Mumbai.
Former ICC president Ehsan Mani said the governing body could lose credibility after the "disgraceful" treatment of outgoing chief executive Malcolm Speed. Mani became the latest critic of the ICC board, which has come under fire after Speed was placed on paid leave on Friday until the end of his contract in July after falling out with president Ray Mali and other board members.
Former ICC president Malcolm Gray says Malcolm Speed's premature exit as the CEO of cricket's world governing body smacks of racial bias and shows that the game's management is being increasingly influenced by money and power.
International Cricket Council Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed on Wednesday said a security assessment of Pakistan will be undertaken before taking a call on the 2008 Champions Trophy, to be held there. Pakistan is scheduled to host the multi-nation tournament in September later this year, but a series of bomb blasts, which forced Australia postpone their tour to the country last month, have cast a cloud on the event.
Newly appointed International Cricket Council chief executive officer Haroon Lorgat has hinted that the international cricket calendar may be revised to make room for the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL). Lorgat, who will take over from Malcolm Speed as the ICC CEO in July, said it is hard to ignore the league and the game's governing body is more than willing to tinker with the Future Tours Program (FTP) to accommodate it in the international calendar.
BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty said Malcolm Speed's comments are 'highly disappointing, if not outrageous'.
Imtiaz Patel has withdrawn his candidature for the high-profile job of the the ICC's Chief Executive Officer.
Under-pressure to quit his post as Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Wednesday met ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed in Dubai.
Sunil Gavaskar may be asked to step down as ICC cricket committee chairman due to a conflict of interests between his honorary post and paid role as a commentator.
South Africa's Imtiaz Patel was on Monday appointed as the next Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council, which named India's I S Bindra as Principal Advisor, a new post at the game's world governing body.
ICC's first African president Percy Sonn was laid to rest, six days after he died from complications following colon surgery.
The Indian complaint against Australian spinner Brad Hogg for allegedly abusing Anil Kumble and Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the Sydney Test will come up for hearing before match referee Mike Procter prior to the third match in Perth.
A Code of Conduct Commissioner will be appointed by Wednesday to hear Harbhajan Singh's appeal against the ban, according to ICC CEO Malcolm Speed, who refused to accept that BCCI had "triumphed" by getting umpire Steve Bucknor replaced and clearance for the off-spinner to play pending his appeal.
Ravi Sawani, former Central Bureau of Investigation joint-director of special crimes, was appointed General Manager and Chief Investigator of the ICC's Anti-Corruption Security Unit, under the chairmanship Paul Condon.
Security concerns have persuaded the ICC to postpone women's World Cup qualifiers in Lahore this month.
ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed laid the charge under the code of conduct after racist and abusive remarks were picked up on a stump microphone.
ICC is seeking membership of the International Olympic Committee in a bid to include the Twenty20 format at the Olympics.
International Cricket Council Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Speed on Wednesday admitted that it will be a huge challenge to integrate Twenty20 cricket with the existing formats of ODIs and Test cricket. The veteran administrator said there is no rush or demand as of now to create a window for the IPL and the BCCI has still not approached the ICC for the same.
'What Speed did by talking about the status of Indian cricket and the performance is nothing but gross interference in its affairs,' said BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty.
ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said Lalit Modi's 'inflammatory and provocative comments will serve only to distract from the Champions Trophy'.
National cricket boards have "genuine concerns" over a $20 million (9.9 million pounds) winner-takes-all Twenty20 series planned for West Indies next year, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) will finalise a shortened 2011 one-day World Cup format and a successor to chief executive Malcolm Speed at a two-day board meeting starting in Dubai on Monday. The top decision-makers of the governing body will also discuss the crisis in Zimbabwe cricket and consider an independent audit that has been undertaken into the game's board there, an ICC release said on Saturday.
Developing cricket in China would improve the sport's chances of being included in the Olympic Games, according to the Asian Cricket Council.
ICC has dedicated the Champions Trophy tournament in India to Spirit of Cricket
Despite widespread calls for Steve Bucknor to retire, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has backed the West Indian to complete his term as an Elite Panel umpire, which ends in 2011.
"I spoke to Malcolm Speed this morning and asked him if there was any problem in Harbhajan Singh playing the next Test match at Perth and he said that there was none," BCCI chief Sharad Pawar said.
ICC dismissed media speculation regarding the integrity of the recent triangular ODI tournament in Zimbabwe as totally inaccurate and without foundation.
Keith Medlycott was named as Umpires' High Performance Manager to provide support to the Emirates Elite Panel.\n\n
"There will be logistical problems, everyone knows that," Speed told Reuters.
International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed has written to officials in India and Pakistan to ask about reports of racism during matches this week.
The racist and abusive remarks were picked up on a stump microphone at Centurion.
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