ICC pays tribute to Patrick Rousseau

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday paid homage to Patrick Rousseau, the former West Indies cricket chief, who died at the age of 85.

Rousseau was at the helm of West Indies Cricket Board for a long time. He was the president of the cricket board from 1996 to 2001 and was also a member of the ICC Board and was credited with the Caribbean hosting the Men's Cricket World Cup in 2007.

"The death of Mr. Rousseau is sad news for the cricket world. His contribution to the game's management has been widely acknowledged. He led cricket administration in the West Indies very capably and was a respected member of the ICC Board," ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said in an official statement.

"It was with great sadness that we learnt of his death. On behalf of the ICC, I would like to offer our heartfelt condolences to his friends and family and to our colleagues at the CWI," he further said.

Rousseau has also been credited with launching the first professional cricket academy in Grenada.