Cricket

India vs Pakistan World Cup Match: BCCI official denies writing to ICC against PAK

Dixit Bhargav
|PublishedFeb 21, 2019

LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 18 : Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh of India shakes hands with Shadab Khan and Junaid Khan of Pakistan after Pakistan won the ICC Champions Trophy final between India and Pakistan at the Kia Oval cricket ground on June 18, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)

BCCI official denies writing to ICC against PAK: An Indian cricket board official has spoke against banning Pakistan from the world event.

Following the unfortunate Pulwama terror attacks, there have been continual calls for India to ban their ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 match against Pakistan. If recent reports are to be believed, there have also been calls regarding banning Pakistan from the entire tournament.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly and veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh advocating for the Indian team to not play against Pakistan has further added fuel to the whole conversation.

A senior Board of Control for Cricket in India official has made public that there has been no attempt whatsoever from the Indian board regarding the same. Furthermore, he also said that boycotting a team from a cricket World Cup in impractical and denied claims of a note against Pakistan being drafted.

“No constitutional or contractual way this could happen”

“There is absolutely no constitutional or contractual way this could happen. The ICC constitution allows members the right to participate in ICC events as long as they’ve qualified,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying to PTI.

CoA member Diana Edulji was open to discuss the matter. “We will discuss all possible options tomorrow and do what is best for the country,” Edulji told PTI.

“India no longer enjoys majority”

While people have called for the boycott of a World Cup match, not many have realized the consequences it can have in return. A senior BCCI source mentioned that if a note is sent and the ICC agrees to put it out in front of member boards for a vote, India is unlikely to find any support from other nations.

“In case India writes to ICC for Pakistan’s removal, then we have to build consensus first to move a resolution at it’s Annual Board Meeting in April. We no longer enjoy majority in the ICC board right now. If this goes for floor Test we are certain to lose. Not only that, serious doubts will emerge on our chances to host 2021 Champions Trophy and 2023 World Cup,” he said.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.