The International Cricket Council (ICC) will soon be clarifying India’s “doubts” about security at the upcoming World Cup but the world body is unlikely to even discuss a possible boycott of Pakistan when its Chief Executives Committee (CEC) meets in Dubai on Wednesday.
More than 40 CRPF troopers were killed in the Pulwama terror attack and because of that, there was a wave in India demanding the boycott the game against Pakistan in the World Cup in Manchester on June 16. Responding to the outrage, the Committee of Administrators running Indian cricket wrote a letter to the ICC urging it boycott countries from where “terrorism emanates” but did not specifically name Pakistan.
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The quarterly meeting of the ICC will start in Dubai on Wednesday with the Chief Executives (CEC) meeting where BCCI CEO Rahul Johri’s letter will be postponed and the matter will be discussed. The BCCI had expressed its concern about the safety of the players and officials during the World Cup which starts May 30 in England.
Describing the same, an anonymous senior BCCI official said, “The ICC will provide all the details of the security arrangements made for the World Cup. It will be same for all the participating nations and England and Wales Cricket Board have always provided top-notch arrangements. But since there has been an apprehension, the doubts will be cleared.”
However, it is learned that ICC is unlikely to even discuss the possibility of boycotting Pakistan as it is not a “feasible option”.
Describing the point further, one of the sources of PTI said, “The ICC is in no position to ask any cricket board to sever ties with another member nation. It doesn’t have the right to do so. This is a diplomatic issue which is dealt with at the government level. A member board can always discuss the issue if they want but one can be rest assured that nothing will happen.”
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Opinion has been divided on the calls for boycott with former India skipper Sourav Ganguly and veteran offspinner Harbhajan Singh wanting the June 16 match to be called off. However, they haven’t clarified what happens if Pakistan make it to the semi-final or the final.
On the other hand, two of the biggest names in Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar expressed that India should beat Pakistan as a walkover would mean giving two points on a platter to the arch-rivals. skipper Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri have maintained that they will “abide by whatever decision the government takes.”
