CHENNAI: The BCCI, on the insistence of CoA chief Vinod Rai, has prepared a draft note which wants the International Cricket Council to bar Pakistan from the upcoming World Cup to be hosted by the England and Wales Cricket Board. While this is unprecedented, such a move will put serious question marks over India’s chances of hosting future ICC events, including the World T20 in 2021 and the 2023 World Cup.
The note is understood to have been drafted by Rai with CEO Rahul Johri entrusted with the job of informing the ICC and the host board. Initially, the note was supposed to be sent to ICC CEO David Richardson and tournament director Steve Elworthy on Thursday. It was put on hold after Rai’s colleague at the CoA, Diana Edulji wanted to discuss it officially in a meeting which is scheduled to take place on Friday.
After the meeting on Friday, the BCCI is expected to consult the Union Sports Ministry and Ministry of External Affairs before arriving at a decision. As of now the, the BCCI has been barred from playing bilateral series against Pakistan.
While there has been no directives from the Centre, it is not clear why Rai took the decision to draft such a note, considering that chances of ICC entertaining such a call are remote. Rai is understood to have gone by the mood of the nation in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. The BCCI note to the ICC is based on the lines that Pakistan is supporting terrorism and has to be isolated.
It is not clear whether the BCCI will pursue the issue further if its legal team advises against it. There are chances it will not, since the ICC has never barred its own member from participating in a world event on geopolitical grounds. Moreover, even the old guards of the BCCI believe none of the other countries will support the move and at best, the Indian board can only lodge a protest. For the ICC, this wouldn’t be good news considering that Indo-Pak fixtures top their charts in terms of commercial value as well as interest among fans.
While it is possible for India to forfeit its group stage fixture against Pakistan, asking for an extreme step is not expected to be received well by the ICC. While former captain Sourav Ganguly called for all sporting ties be suspended with Pakistan, 1983 World Cup winner Sunil Gavaskar and former wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer have called on India to play against Pakistan and defeat them fair and square.