The demand was presented to the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) chairman Greg Barclay and chief executive Geoff Allardice on Wednesday, the second and last day of the officials’ visit to the PCB’s headquarters.
Najam Sethi, the interim chairman of the PCB Management Committee, recently issued a warning that Pakistan’s boycott of the World Cup was “very much a possibility” in light of the BCCI’s decision to not send a team to the nation for the upcoming Asia Cup.
The PCB’s “hybrid model” for the continental competition, which would see group matches featuring teams other than India held in Pakistan before the event shifts to a neutral location, has not been accepted by the BCCI thus far. Even if the plan is approved, the PCB would consider holding the World Cup outside of India and would give that country the same choice for the Champions Trophy.
The ICC, however, seems unconcerned with the Asia Cup, and its top two officials wanted to focus on matters related to the World Cup.
Therefore, Sethi and the company petitioned the ICC officials for a written guarantee that India would play in the Champions Trophy, whose hosting rights had been given to Pakistan two years prior.
Given the circumstances, Barclay and Allardice’s anticipated yet high-profile visit is noteworthy. Neither the ICC nor the PCB have made any formal pronouncements as of yet.
The PCB and ICC officials continued to discuss the projected income-sharing plan for the ICC, according to leaked data of which India would take 38.5 percent while Pakistan would receive only 5.75 percent.
Sources claim that at the forthcoming ICC Board meetings, Pakistan’s worries and the entire subject involving its impasse with the BCCI would be covered.
However, it would be challenging for the ICC to grant PCB’s requests given India’s monopoly on the global cricket market. The PCB may seriously consider forfeiting its World Cup games in such cases.
