BCCI Seeks International Ban On Pakistan Despite ICC Snub
Cricket board Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai said the world body should ban countries harbouring terrorism.
Highlights
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Vinod Rai remained reserved on whether India will boycott Pakistan at WC
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India and Pakistan are scheduled to play in the World Cup on June 16
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The World Cup will start on May 30 in the UK
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is seeking an international ban on Pakistan cricket team despite a recent rejection from the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Indian cricket board's, Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai said on Thursday. According to Vinod Rai, the ICC should ban the countries that harbour terrorism, though he remained reserved on whether India will boycott Pakistan at the ICC World Cup 2019, which starts on May 30 in the UK. "Let the time come. It is still four months away. We have expressed our concerns (over security) and they (ICC) said yes, 'security will be tightened' and everything else," said Rai after a CoA meeting in New Delhi.
Rai insisted that the ICC has not shot down BCCI's request of banning Pakistan from international cricket. "The letter was placed. It clearly says Pakistan. It is a process which goes slow. Have we been able to boycott any of the countries in the Security Council? The process goes on slowly. We have started a process," said the former CAG.
At its board meeting in Dubai last week, the ICC dismissed the BCCI's request to sever ties with countries from where terrorism emanates though the Indian Board did not make a specific reference to Pakistan.
India and Pakistan are scheduled to play in the World Cup on June 16 and Rai said due process will be followed before the final decision is taken on boycotting the high-octane clash in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack.
In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, in which more than 40 CRPF personnel were killed, the BCCI, in a letter to the ICC, urged the world body and its member nations to sever ties with countries which harbour terror.
The India-Pakistan matter will be among the issues the COA will discuss with ICC chairman Shashank Manohar in Mumbai later this month.
The long pending issue of BCCI becoming World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) compliant will also be discussed after the ICC expressed an urgent need to settle the matter.
"A lot of issues will be discussed with the ICC chairman including the one concerning WADA," added Rai.
(With PTI inputs)
India Cricket Team