BCCI to discuss threats at meet

New Delhi, May 16: A breakaway rebel governing body, the proposed T10 format and lack of interest from broadcasters are among “18 threats” that international cricket faces right now, according to a report of the ICC’s Strategic Working Group (SWG) which will discuss these issues with the BCCI here on Thursday.

The report claims to be a SWOT analysis of the issues confronting world cricket.

The SWG comprises Cricket Australia’s David Peever, BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, Singapore’s Imran Khwaja, Cricket South Africa’s Patricia Karambami, West Indies Cricket Board’s Dave Cameron and women’s representative Clare Connor.

The Group will update BCCI office-bearers on global strategy for cricket.

“Yes, there has been threat to ICC. A very wellknown former cricket administrator (currently banned) along with an Indian TV channel and an Australian lawyer had approached a lot of players and officials in order to form a parallel global body. They had named it ‘Operation Watershed’ then,” a senior BCCI official said.

“They wanted to form parallel associations in each country and were offering lot of money to players. The project didn’t take off but there’s no reason that it won’t take off again,” the official said.

The ICC analysis does not take names. However, it is interesting to note that in 2016, there were reports of sacked IPL commissioner Lalit Modi approaching officials from England and Australia to form a parallel body, a speculation that dies down as qucikly as it took off.

Another matter of concern is the proposed T-10 format amid statements from stars such as former New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum that Test cricket will not be sustainable in the long run.

Football’s growth in traditional cricket nations is also listed as a threat in the SWG analysis along with a “lack of competitive tension in broadcast market,” the official said.