The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Friday wrote to the International Cricket Council asking them to sever ties with nations where terror activity allegedly takes place.
In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, which claimed the life of 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, there have been widespread calls for India to boycott their marquee group-stage clash against Pakistan in Manchester on June 16.
The members of the Committee of Administrators met in New Delhi on Friday to decide on their approach to the India-Pakistan World Cup match.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Committee of Administrators’ chief Vinod Rai said: “We are in talks with government. No decision has been taken on June 16 match. We are expressing two concerns to the ICC. We will ask for more protection for players during the tournament. We will tell cricketing nations to sever ties with any nation that is terrorist hub.”
“I will not make any comments about what the home minister has said. We are in talks with government and June 16 is far away,” Rai said.
Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh urged the Indian team to call off their June 16 match against Pakistan in Manchester. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly also echoed the words of his former teammate, and even called for snapping all sporting ties with Pakistan.
ICC chief executive Dave Richardson insisted that it does not foresee any change in the schedule of the mega event starting May 30.
The BCCI’s Committee of Administrators drafted a letter to ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar to exclude Pakistan from the upcoming World Cup, according to a report in The Times of India.
The letter has been drafted by BCCI CEO Rahul Johri’s office after Rai’s approval, the report claimed, adding that there is also the possibility of India withdrawing from the World Cup if the request is not approved.
Rai also confirmed that the the twelfth season of the Indian Premier League will not have an opening ceremony in the wake of the Pulwama attack.