Imran Khwaja will remain ICC deputy chairman after defeating Ricky Skerritt from Saint Kitts and Nevis in an election ©Getty Images

Imran Khwaja won a fiercely-fought election against Ricky Skerritt to remain deputy chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC). 

Khwaja earned nine votes compared to Skerritt's eight to win the election. 

The Singaporean was elected to the ICC Board in 2008 and first became deputy chairman in 2017. 

He also served as interim chair of the ICC last year and ran to hold the position permanently, but lost out to New Zealand's Greg Barclay.

Skerritt, from Saint Kitts and Nevis, was elected Cricket West Indies President in 2019. 

"I lost by one vote," he told Cricbuzz.

"The vote was via private ballot. 

"So I have no certainty who voted for whom."

Cricket West Indies President Ricky Skerritt lost the election to become ICC deputy chairman by one vote ©Cricket West Indies
Cricket West Indies President Ricky Skerritt lost the election to become ICC deputy chairman by one vote ©Cricket West Indies

It is thought the tightly-knit group of India, Australia, England, New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Ireland, and Barclay voted for Skerritt, while Khwaja received votes from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Malaysia, Singapore and independent director Indra Nooy.

Barclay had defeated Khwaja in the Presidential election in November, held after India's Shashank Manohar stepped down in July after serving two two-year terms.

The process to choose Manohar's replacement was hit by delays after the ICC opened a confidentiality investigation following the leak of a letter regarding a proposal to postpone this year's T20 World Cup.

Critics claimed Khwaja was deliberately stalling the process to ensure he remained at the helm of the ICC.