The Indian cricket teams gesture of wearing camouflage caps during the third one-day international against Australia in Ranchi on Friday in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack has sparked a strong reaction from Pakistan with their foreign minister asking the International Cricket Council to take action against the team for politicising the game.
But according to the report in Hindi daily Amar Ujala, the Indian board had asked for ICC’s permission to wear those caps almost five months ago and the plan could not be executed because there was no home series during that period.
The Indian team also donated their match fee for the welfare of the families of defence personnel with those in playing XI contributing Rs 7 lakh each, the reserves Rs 3.5 lakh each and the support staff giving Rs 1 lakh each.
The Times of India also reported that the Board had sought permission from ICC to wear the caps citing a simiar gesture by cricketers during the annual ‘Pink Test’ at Sydney but did not give details of when the request was made.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had requested permission from ICC CEO Dave Richardson on Thursday to let the players participate in a charity fund-raising effort and wear army caps with the BCCI crest in memory of the fallen soldiers,” the paper quoted an ICC source as saying.
During the fifth and final Test at Oval last year, India and England skippers, Virat Kohli and Joe Root, had worn a ‘poppy’ made out of khadi to recognise the role of Indian soldiers in the First World War.