“Pakistani fans are no more interested to host Indian cricket team in Pakistan for Champions Trophy after exposure of sick mentality of BCCI”. These were the words written by Arfa Feroze Zake after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided against sending their team to Pakistan.
Bravado? Bluff? Soft pressure tactics? Call it what you may, but it reeks of utter desperation. Just a few weeks ago Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar visited Pakistan for the SCO Summit. There were many cricket and geo-political experts who saw this as a chance for the resumption of India and Pakistan’s people-to-people contact.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in its sheer desperation also went on to come up with a unique proposal. According to the proposal all of India’s matches were set to be played in Lahore. All BCCI had to do was have India travel across the border on the day of the game and get back home after the match.
Indian government though has remained steadfast about not letting the Men in Blue travel across the border. Once the decision was made public many former stars were going ballistic and even calling a boycott of India’s matches. There are also reports of PCB writing to ICC that it looks forward to hosting the Champions Trophy. This is irrespective of India touring Pakistan or not.
BCCI, Indian cricket and its importance to World Cricket
Before any ICC event is scheduled, the Apex Cricket Body does tend to base the tournament feasible for Indian fans. Right from the scheduling to the match timings, Indian fans are catered to. There is no science behind this, Indian fans are one of the biggest consumers of cricket worldwide.
Take the example of Manchester during the 2019 ODI World Cup match between India and Pakistan. During that game at Old Trafford, the massive number of Indian fans stunned people across the globe. Many were left flummoxed at the timings for the T20I World Cup this year as it catered to the Indian fans more. With the massive difference in time zones, none of India’s matches were day and night encounters.
Yet another example is that of the 2007 ODI World Cup in West Indies where India exited the tournament in the group stages. Once Rahul Dravid led Indian side were out of the TRP’s fell so much that not even a casual cricket fan who consumed the game watched the matches.
Ramiz Raja who has led Pakistan Cricket on and off the field made a pertinent point. Addressing a meeting in Islamabad in 2021, Ramiz Raja said, “The ICC is politicized body divided between the Asian and Western blocs and 90 per cent of its revenues are generated in India. It is frightening.”
BCCI for its part comes under the Indian government which has asked cricketers to stay away from touring across the border. It is a move that the Indian cricket board may not want to go against try as hard as they might. Pakistan fans and cricket establishement may be aggrieved but the truth is India’s clout in world cricket is much more than anyone can fathom.
England cricket board chief Richard Thomson had said that India not taking part in the Champions Trophy would be bad news all around. According to Thomson if India doesn’t take part in the tournament the broadcaster may be in a world of trouble.
During his chat with ESPN CRICINFO, Mr. Thomson said, “It would not be in cricket's interests for India not to be playing in the Champions Trophy. It's interesting, with Jay Shah - the former secretary of the BCCI and now chair of the ICC. is going to have a big role to play in that. There's geopolitics, and then there's cricketing geopolitics. I think they'll find a way. They have to find a way.”
South Africa has emerged as a potential candidate to host the event. PCB for its part has thrown a new curve ball, if the tournament hosting rights are stripped they will consider pulling out. At this stage, ICC is caught right in the middle of a huge drama between the two volatile neighbours. Amidst all this, there is no end to the confusion but PCB seems hell-bent on fighting back.
Here is one question though, can ICC go to any international event without India? emotions aside there is only one plausible answer. The reply is a resounding no, not because of might, but because of finances and star power. While Pakistan for its part has every right to be aggrieved, BCCI is sitting back without a worry in the world. India knows the ball is in its court and that’s why it won't be rankled.
/sportsinfo/media/member_avatars/image 59.png)
Follow Us/sportsinfo/media/media_files/2024/11/12/7SIQzvG4CpM863jWtOCH.jpg)