Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai has stated that rather that India boycotting their World Cup 2019 clash against Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wants Pakistan to be isolated in from the cricketing committee.

Calls have intensified for India to boycott their World Cup 2019 group stage match against Pakistan on June 16 in Manchester after the dastardly Pulwama attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans.

However, Rai has now said that they will work closely with the Indian government and look for a solution where they won’t have to ‘shoot their own foot’ by opting against playing Pakistan at this year’s multi-national event.

“Why should we shoot ourselves in the foot by not playing? We should seek their (Pakistan) ouster and remove them from the cricketing committee,” Rai was quoted as saying by the Indian Express.

“I look at it (BCCI’s letter to ICC) from the point of view that we are able to isolate Pakistan. Make it a cricket apartheid for Pakistan on the terror issue. The idea is to work hand in hand with the Indian government to isolate Pakistan in the cricketing community.”

Meanwhile, International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Shashank Manohar said that security will remain a ‘top priority’ for the global governing body and that the BCCI would be shown the security plans put in place for the World Cup 2019 during an ICC meeting in March.

“I have received the BCCI’s letter. Security has, and always will be, the top priority of the ICC. When the ICC (board members) meet in Dubai on March 2, we will show the BCCI all the security plans which have been put in place for the World Cup,” Manohar was quoted as saying by Times of India.

“As far as other issues are concerned, I will place BCCI’s letter and the concerns expressed therein, before the ICC Board,” he added.

First Published: Feb 23, 2019 16:22 IST