Sports

India refuse to name Champions Trophy squad amid ICC row

Peeved at losing recent polls, BCCI contemplates pulling out of tournament

Afp April 27, 2017

A file photo of Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri attending an event. PHOTO COURTESY: BCCI

NEW DELHI: India are refusing to unveil their squad for the Champions Trophy amid speculation they might pull out because of a row with the sport's governing body over revenue sharing.

The powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already missed the agreed April 25 deadline for naming their squad for the eight-nation event beginning in England and Wales on June 1.

The other seven nations have named their squads but India are unlikely to face any sanction from the International Cricket Council (ICC) under the rules of the 50-over tournament.

Major blow for Indian cricket board and Big Three in ICC meeting

India's reluctance stems from their long-running opposition to changes in the financial and governance structure of the ICC which would reduce their influence and earnings along with the other members of the so-called "big three" Australia and England.

The ICC board meeting in Dubai on Wednesday voted in favour of the new financial model despite the BCCI — the world's richest cricket board — voting against.

The board also voted in favour of a new constitution which will now be put before the ICC Full Council for approval.

Najam Sethi set to become PCB chairman for a third time

The dispute has raised speculation in India that the cricket-mad nation could pull out the 50-over Champions Trophy tournament, an event they won in 2013, an option the BCCI was not ruling out.

"It is too early to make predictions since the event is more than a month away, but nothing can be ruled out. Let's wait and watch," a BCCI board official told AFP Thursday on condition of anonymity.

"We can still name the team, say even in a week or two, as we have a squad in mind and it's just about putting a seal on it. And I am sure it will be accepted by the ICC."

Pak-India cricket series ‘impossible’ in current scenario: Indian home ministry

Under the ICC shake-up, India stands to earn $277 million less in revenue over the next eight years, the global cricket board said in a statement.

COMMENTS (9)

Someone | 7 years ago | Reply @bharat: This is a big myth that cricket survives on Indian money. Let India pull out and the Champions Trophy go ahead in England. This myth will be put in the coffin and buried below the ground where it belongs. Also, India can choose to isolate itself, but just for the record, Indian cricket will die. Not cricket.

Abc | 7 years ago | Reply Its the best time to include WI instead of India and the bubble of their revenues will burst. If India makes so much money (myth of course), they can play with themselves

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bharat | 7 years ago | Reply Lets see how poor countries like Pakistan can contribute to ICC revenue ? A nation where 99 % lives below poverty line and govt begs IMF and China for loans to stay afloat.

Indian | 7 years ago | Reply @Hasan: Don't play cricket if your don't have money.

Giri | 7 years ago | Reply International Cricket is surviving because of Indian money. ICC is refusing to accept this brutal reality. Without Indian money the cricket is long dead.

Ravian | 7 years ago | Reply This sums up India's general attitude. India has started to feel that it is above the law and can steamroll its opinion on others. It received a small but rude shock in the ICC meeting where even Bangladesh left its side. More is due to come.

Alien1 | 7 years ago | Reply If India does not play then there would be no revenue.

Hasan | 7 years ago | Reply Oh come on! You call yourself 'The Biggest Democracy' so accept this democratic decision and stop being a cry baby!!!

Raj - USA | 7 years ago | Reply Reading on this news, some here and some there (have not followed it much as I do not have that much interest in it), I get an impression that BCCI stands to lose $277 million in revenues over the next 8 years. The beneficiaries will countries that has cricket boards that are financially weak, like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, etc. If so, I would support ICC over BCCI as their demands are in the interest of cricket. By financially strengthening those cricket boards that do not have much finance now, BCCI will be acting in the interest of cricket and in the process will be acting in its own benefit too.

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