Crucial ICC meet from Monday
The tussle with the Indian cricket board over its plan to reform the global financial and governance model will take centrestage when the ICC meetings get underway in Dubai from Monday. The meeting will conclude on April 27 with the last two days designated for the ICC Board meeting to address the controversial 2014 Big Three model that gives India, Australia and England lion’s share of the revenues and a big say in governance.
The ICC Board meeting will also discuss cricket structure.
BCCI officials, CK Khanna, Amitabh Chaudhary and Anirudh Chaudhry, who have been backing the model introduced by N Srinivasan when he headed the ICC, is defending it, even threatening to exercise India’s right under the Members Participation Agreement (to pull out of the ICC Champions Trophy), a step that’ll hurt the tournament.
COA VERSUS BCCI
The BCCI officials, however, have been told by the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators not take any drastic step that may alienate other boards.
The Supreme Court has asked Amitabh Chaudhary, BCCI’s acting secretary, to attend the Board meeting and directed Board CEO Rahul Johri to accompany him. It is learnt that treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry has also gone to Dubai, though in his personal capacity. The Chief Executives Committee meeting on Monday will set the tone, with Johri to attend.
While other boards have named their Champions Trophy squads, the Indian board has delayed it till the last moment, presumably as a bargaining ploy. The deadline for announcing the squad is Tuesday, and with the ICC Board meeting on April 26 and 27, the BCCI will ensure everybody walks a tightrope.
“Much of it should be clear by Monday evening,” said a source. “The CEC meeting will hold discussions on the issues before they are put before the Board.”
With the CoA and the BCCI officials not on the same page, there is likely to be a difference of opinion when it comes to exercising their right on using the MPA clause. Johri had told HT that the CoA is the supreme body when it comes to taking decisions. However, the Board officials say that policy decisions are taken only by BCCI members.