Mumbai: Former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani has come hard on Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Anurag Thakur for making “inflammatory” statements and defaming Pakistan on world stage. Mani has asked Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to strip India to host ICC events.
Mani said on Tuesday night that Pakistani cricket officials should come strong at the ICC executive board meeting in Cape Town next week.
“The Indian Cricket Board President, with his immature and inflammatory statements, has given an opening to Pakistan to plead its case more effectively at the ICC meeting,” he said.
Mani has put onus on Pakistan delegation to put its case strongly against ICC and BCCI should be asked to explain statements they have made in media regarding Pakistan.
“Anurag Thakur is a politician and Member of Parliament of the ruling party and the ICC must ask him to explain in what capacity he gives his statements on Pakistan or any other cricket issue,” Mani said.
“They must ask him to explain his position since the ICC constitution clearly forbade any of its own officials or those of member countries to make statements that bring the game into disrepute and that is what Thakur has done in his statements,” the former ICC chief said.
The former ICC chief has been vocal critic of India and said that Pakistan should avoid playing India in ICC events. India will take on Pakistan in next year’s Champions trophy, which will be held in England.
“Now India is talking about not playing us in group stages of ICC events. The truth is that the ICC earns a lot from these Indo-Pak matches in its tournaments and India takes home the lions share under the big three governance formula. Yet they don’t want to have bilateral cricket ties with us.”
India and Pakistan have not played a full bilateral series in nine years. The last full series took place in India in the year 2007. Mani also lashed out at PCB dispensation for appeasing BCCI even though Indian board has not shown same reciprocity. PCB has been making losses of close to 100 million USD.
“But now it is clear there is lot of negativity from the Indian cricket board and even otherwise the situation is tense. So this is the best time for Pakistan to make its point at the ICC meeting.”
Najam Sethi, who is currently heading executive committee has said that they will raise the issue and will not tolerate any unfair treatment meted out to them and are capable of giving a befitting reply.
“Yes we have been reading these statements and we will give them a strong response at the ICC meeting,” Sethi said.
Sethi will be attending the ICC board meeting with CEO, Subhan Ahmad since chairman Shaharyar Khan, a former career diplomat, remains indisposed as he is recovering from a heart surgery.
The situation has been tense ever since the Uri attack and now cricket has come in the firing line. The war of words started between Anurag Thakur and former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad reached a new low. Both sides should restraint from making any provocative statements and let the ICC decide what is best for Indo-Pak cricket.