Pakistan’s compensation claim against India rejected

The International Cricket Council yesterday dismissed a compensation claim by Pakistan over India’s refusal to honour an agreement to play bilateral series.

“Following a three-day hearing and having considered detailed oral and written submissions, the Dispute Panel has dismissed the PCB’s claim against the BCCI,” the ICC said in a statement. The decision cannot be appealed. The dispute centred on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) according to which India and Pakistan had agreed to play six bilateral series between 2015-2023, four of which would be hosted by Pakistan.

The PCB had filed a compensation claim of $70 million (Dh257 million), but India refused to play Pakistan citing the Indian government’s objections due to strained relations with Pakistan. According to the agreement, the six tours would include up to 14 Tests, 30 one-days and 12 Twenty20 internationals.

The MoU was a reward to Pakistan for backing the “Big Three” plan according to which India, Australia and England had the major share of power and revenues of world cricket.

However, that arrangement fell apart and the BCCI refused to accept the MoU as a legal document, dismissing it as a “piece of paper”. India cut off cricket ties with Pakistan after the 2008 terrorist attacks on Mumbai, which left more than 160 people killed.