Will withdraw from WC tie if govt orders: BCCI
NEWDELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) said on Wednesday India will withdraw from its Cricket World Cup match with Pakistan if instructed by the government, even as calls grew to boycott the game over a suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama that killed 40 soldiers last week. The Pakistan-based Jaish-emohammad terror group has claimed the attack, carried out by a 22-year old local.
India are scheduled to play Pakistan on June 16. Protesters are demanding that India boycott the match at Old Trafford in England, though the cricket boards of the two countries have not taken any decision so far. The tournament , played every four years, will be held between May 30 and July 14.
If India choose not to play the match against Pakistan, it will be treated as a forfeit and the latter will get the points for the game. Losing points in the league stage match could affect India’s chances of qualifying for the semi-finals.
Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said while people from the government, the cricket board and the security establishment will take a call on the cricket match, he respected the sentiments of those opposing it.
“If the government does not allow, we will not play the match with Pakistan,” said BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry.
“The BCCI general body has decided the [ICC] Members’ Participation Agreement (MPA) cannot be executed without the approval of the BCCI general body. The general body has not okayed MPA yet and, therefore, it remains open for the BCCI to negotiate conditions to participate in any ICC event,” Chaudhry added.
He said India cannot be forced to participate till it is approved by the board’s general body, adding, a call will be taken on the matter soon.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is confident the India-pakistan match will go ahead despite the attack, chief executive David Richardson has said. “Certainly there are no indications any of the matches, including the Pakistan-india match, will not be played as planned at the World Cup,” Richardson told www.espncricinfo.com. “But ... we will continue to monitor the situation,” he added. The BCCI did not issue a statement on his remark.
The ICC is scheduled to hold its quarterly meeting in Dubai from February 27 to March 2 and it is likely that the matter will be taken up on the sidelines. BCCI chief executive officer Rahul Johri and secretary Amitabh Chaudhry are expected to represent the Indian board at the meeting.
Former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar said, “We have stopped playing bilateral series with Pakistan for a long time now. But for the ICC matches, we have participated where Pakistan is also playing, because of the green light from the government of India. What matters is the decision of the government.”
Chetan Chauhan, former opener, said India may face action from the international cricket body if they withdraw from the WC tie.
During the 1996 World Cup, Australia refused to travel to Sri Lanka due to security reasons and forfeited points. Then BCCI president IS Bindra and secretary Jagmohan Dalmiya sent a combined India-pakistan team under Mohd Azharuddin to play eventual champions Sri Lanka in an exhibition match in Colombo as an expression of solidarity. However, Australia did not face any other action at the time.
(With agency inputs)