New Delhi: The clouds of crisis regarding the India-Pakistan match to be held on February 15 are not showing any signs of clearing. According to the latest news, ICC has completely rejected all the demands of Pakistan which it had made to play with India. Not only this, ICC has also given one day’s time to PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi to talk to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and think about the decision.
If sources are to be believed, an official announcement is expected to be made on Tuesday morning. Let us tell you those demands which have been completely rejected by the ICC.
1. Bangladesh should not be fined: PCB’s demand was that Bangladesh should get their full share in ICC revenue. On this, ICC has already made it clear that they have decided not to impose any penalty on Bangladesh.
2. Bilaterals: Pakistan Cricket Board demanded that India be asked to play bilateral series with Pakistan. The ICC rejected it and said it was not within their jurisdiction, even in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle.
3. India-Pak-Bangladesh Tri-series: Pakistan Cricket Board proposed to organize a tri-series between the three countries. The ICC also rejected this and said that it is the job of the boards to decide bilateral or triangular series, not the ICC.
4. Indian team tour of Bangladesh: Pakistan Cricket Board demanded that India should tour Bangladesh for the series this year. The ICC also raised its hands on this and called it beyond its jurisdiction.
Will India go to Colombo?
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet issued any official statement, but according to reliable sources, the board is waiting for formal information from the ICC on this matter. According to top sources, the Indian team will strictly follow the ICC protocol. The team is expected to reach Sri Lanka on time as scheduled and complete routine pre-match preparations, including training sessions and mandatory press conferences. The Indian team will reach R Premadasa Stadium at the scheduled time on the match day and wait for the match referee’s decision whether the match should be canceled or not if Pakistan does not take the field.
What about the loss if Pakistan withdraws?
According to PTI, the India-Pakistan match remains the highest-grossing match in global cricket, generating a revenue of around Rs 2,200 crore. To take advantage of this popularity, the ICC has placed both the teams in the same group in every major tournament since 2012, while due to deteriorating diplomatic relations, bilateral cricket has not been possible for the last 14 years. If Pakistan remains firm on its stand, it will suffer a loss of revenue worth millions of rupees and if Pakistan does not participate in the tournament, the ICC coffers will suffer a huge loss. The host broadcaster may lose advertising revenue of Rs 200 crore to Rs 250 crore for an important match, for which a 10-second ad slot can cost up to Rs 40 lakh.