Sumathipala gaining more support for BCCI at ICC

The Indian cricket board may get more support in its fight against the proposed sharing system of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

At the last ICC meeting in Dubai, only Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) supported the BCCI stand (Zimbabwe Cricket -ZC didn’t vote). However, the equation may change in a few weeks time as the president of the SLC board president Thilanga Sumathipala has offered to extend his support in the BCCI crisis, it is learnt.

“If the BCCI wants him to assist them he can handle it”, a close confidant of Sumathipala, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, said from Colombo on Monday morning.

“Sri Lanka is holding on to their stand in the April meeting too. Three other countries are speaking with Sri Lanka to follow the same line”.

“Diluting of members rights and privileges by offering Associates will not be supported by five members”, the source further added.

Sumathipala’s confidant, however, at this stage didn’t wish to identify the names of the countries he is talking with.

It could not be confirmed whether the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) or the Cricket West Indies would now want to support the BCCI. Both boards were more critical to India’s stand in the last ICC meeting, it is learnt.

It will be interesting to watch the stand taken by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in this situation as they are part of the working group. The BCB president was in London when approached for his comments.

There are few boards now regretting for not supporting India, it is also learnt.