No letter so far, BCCI COA to discuss Pak match issue today

For the time being, there is no note that has been sent to International Cricket Council (ICC) from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding suspending Pakistan from the world cricket body following the Pulwama terror attack.

The Committee of Administrators (COA) has not asked its CEO Rahul Johri to prepare a note in this regard. The only understanding between the two members of COA — Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji — is that this matter will be discussed formally when they both sit together in New Delhi on Friday— after Thursday’s Supreme Court hearing.

Now comes the point whether India can actually seek suspension of Pakistan Cricket Board from the ICC?

“Only BCCI general body meeting (GBM) has power to discuss any policy matter,” a top BCCI official told DNA.

The official said that Rai has not allowed the BCCI officials to call for any GBM or SGM (special general body meeting) to discuss anything so far and there is hardly any possibility that any of the three office-bearers would sign on any such letter.

“There is absolutely no constitutional or contractual way that we can force ICC to ban Pakistan. The ICC constitution allows members the right to participate in ICC events as long as they’ve qualified,” a BCCI official told DNA. Board secretary Amitabh Choudhary will be travelling to Dubai to participate in the Feb. 26-26 ICC meeting.

However, it has been reliably learnt that Rai wrote a mail to Edulji on Wednesday to know her views on “how to deal with demands of isolating Pakistan in ICC”.

As Edulji was in the Capital on Wednesday to appear in SC in person, over her differences with Rai on various BCCI issues including that of CEO sexual harassment, she put this issue on hold till the two meets on Friday.

“We will discuss all possible options tomorrow and do what is best for the country,” Edulji said after the SC hearing on Thursday. People within the BCCI have been vocal against not taking any such step which will jeopardise India’s chances of hosting any big international event in near future.

“We’ve been trying to host 2021 Champions Trophy and 2023 World Cup. If any such move comes, then obviously, India will not be allowed to host any international event,” said the source.

Another thing which goes against India is that equation within the ICC has changed in last one year or so.

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