BCCI Cannot Do Anything, Says PCB Source

Despite the BCCI warning Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) of dire consequences in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, the latter  remains unfazed. The attack, which was carried out by Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-E-Mohammed, claimed the lives of 44 CRPF jawans. Since the attack, there has been a nationwide protest against Pakistan and cricket has not remained far behind.

Last week, IMG-Reliance pulled out of its deal to produce television coverage of the ongoing Pakistan Super League worldwide.  Before that, DSport, which was broadcasting the game in India, had also stopped the coverage. In other show of protests, Cricket Club of India had covered the portrait of former Pakistan skipper Imran Khan in its restaurant. Other state bodies had also removed every item related to Pakistani cricketers.

The public then demanded the boycott of Pakistan in the upcoming World Cup and the BCCI has taken the proposal very seriously. The BCCI has now written to the International Cricket Council, asking the “cricketing community to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates”.

BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, on Friday, wrote to ICC chief executive Dave Richardson and chairman Shashank Manohar to bring the Pulwama incident to ICC’s notice, and reiterated that the attack was carried out by an “outfit based in Pakistan”.

The BCCI also expressed “its concerns over the safety and security” of its players, fans and match officials “in the buildup to the marquee clash in the World Cup on June 16 in Manchester.”

However, the PCB seems to be unfazed with all these events. A source from the PCB said that BCCI is just one member of the ICC’s executive board and ‘cannot do anything’  He also said that the PCB remains unperturbed as the BCCI has written to the ICC without any evidence.

“The Indian board’s claim and email will not make any difference,” the PCB source told The Dawn,  “The BCCI is just one of 15 members on the ICC’s executive board. It alone cannot do anything. An allegation without any evidence is insignificant.

“India will face embarrassment in the ICC, just like it did in the shooting world cup,” he added.