india

Updated: Feb 23, 2019 10:51 IST

The Committee of Administrators-led BCCI’s strong posturing in the initial draft letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) demanding a ban on Pakistan from the World Cup fizzled out on Friday as the apex cricket body decided to tone down its protest.

Instead, the BCCI after Friday’s meeting of CoA requested the international “cricketing community to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates” without even mentioning Pakistan in its media release.

Though the Board in its letter to ICC, mentions the ‘dastardly attack on Indian soil made from terror outfits based in Pakistan’, it doesn’t mention the World Cup match with the arch-rivals. The letter also expressed concerns over the safety and security of Indian players and fans in the World Cup. “The BCCI trusts that the ICC and ECB will ensure that the most robust security is provided to players, match officials and fans of Indian cricket for the upcoming World Cup,” stated the BCCI letter to ICC.

As pointed out by this paper earlier, the demand to ask ICC to ban Pakistan from World Cup was being looked up as absurd within the Board and CoA member Diana Edulji was against it. She, it has been learnt, put her foot down. The Board also refused to take a call on the India-Pakistan World Cup match too, putting the onus on the government.

The CoA head Vinod Rai told media on Friday, “No decision yet on India’s World Cup match against Pakistan. The 16th of June (when India play Pakistan) is very far away. We will take a call on that much later and in consultation with the government…. whatever we consult with the government we will do at a later stage.

“Please understand we still have three months’ time. We will abide by what the government says. We can’t comment on hypothetical situations as we haven’t arrived at a decision.”

While Board could discuss the match against Pakistan at a later date, the idea of pressing ICC for a ban on Pakistan is not on the immediate agenda. As reported by this paper on Friday, some office-bearers felt that banning Pakistan isn’t an easy decision and has to be made by the ICC Board. As per the ICC constitution, they can’t be barred from the World Cup. Under clause 2.3, which talks about rights of the members, point (H) states, “Each member being entitled (subject to meeting any relevant qualification criteria) to participate in certain cricket events organised or sanctioned by the ICC.”

Under the clause, the ICC also safeguards each board member’s right to vote. “This situation is symptomatic of the working within the Board. Decisions are taken without even understanding the gravity of the situation,” said an office-bearer.

Please understand we still have three months’ time. We will abide by what the government says. We can’t comment on hypothetical situations.