ICC had no rule to ostracize particular country, says BCCI official

The BCCI had written a letter to the ICC requesting the global body to ask other member countries to sever ties with the country from which "terrorism emanates” in the wake of the ghastly terror attack on CRPF personnel in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. More than 40 Indian Jawans were killed in the attack for which Pakistan-based militant organisation took the responsibility. However, the letter sent by the Indian cricket board had no mention of Pakistan in it.

Meanwhile, a BCCI official has now clarified that ICC can’t take such decision and the chairman had already made it clear that the decision to ostracize a country can only be taken at the government level. 

"There was no chance that anything like that would have happened. The ICC chairman made it clear that the decision to ostracize a nation is taken at the government level and ICC had no rule. The BCCI knew it all along but still took a chance," a BCCI official told PTI.

This issue was discussed during the ICC board meeting on Saturday but only for a short period of time. ICC chairman Shashank Manohar chaired the meeting in which the BCCI was represented by acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary.

"So many players from member nations play the Pakistan Super League and they would have never entertained such a request. Yes, security was a concern and it had been duly addressed," the Board official added.

India is scheduled to play Pakistan next during the upcoming World Cup in Manchester on June 16 and there have been a lot of people in India demanding the team to boycott this crucial tie against the arch-rivals ever since the attack last month. 

However, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) is yet to take a decision regarding this and has stated that it will take the government’s view.