The future of India-Pakistan cricket remains uncertain. The International Cricket Council (ICC) meeting in Kolkata provided no solution. Given that the Indian government has put bilateral cricket against Pakistan on hold due to cross-border tensions, the two boards or the world body cannot be blamed. As long as the Centre does not permit bilateral cricket, India and Pakistan can play each other only in tournaments like the World Cup or Champions Trophy.
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not leaving it there. Apart from demanding that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) honour an MoU on cricket between the two nations, they have taken the matter to a dispute resolution committee formed by ICC and asked for $70 million in compensation. Not hosting India for many years has affected PCB’s finances, but the claim is unsound because cricket involving the two nations has been subject to government approval for a long time.
In this case, BCCI’s position is not dictated by commercial considerations. Even if they want to, they cannot invite Pakistan over for a Test series or send the Indian team to a neutral venue to play against them. The ICC understands this, but no effort has been made so far to dissuade PCB from seeing a ‘dispute’ in this.
From that point of view, the world body is responsible for not helping one of its member boards understand the loss of harmony and goodwill in fighting a case where another board is bound by the laws of its land. Telling PCB clearly it is not possible for India to play against them unless the government issues a clearance would have been the best step.
The ICC has not done this possibly because it wants to show it is no less sympathetic to any member. But by tacitly encouraging PCB to take on BCCI, it has left the door ajar for hostility. A fight between India and Pakistan changes the dynamics in ICC politics and leaves both of them weaker. Realising this would be more worthwhile for PCB instead of confronting a board it has been friends with.
