Former ICC President Ehsan Mani believes Pakistan must refuse to play India in ICC events

The India-Pakistan encounter at the 2015 ICC World Cup in Adelaide was a sell-out

Ehsan Mani, the former International Cricket Council chief has called upon Pakistan to decline competing against their arch-rivals India in the group stages of ICC events. IBNLive reported the 70-year old stating that the Pakistan Cricket Board should object to being placed in the same group as India, should the proposed series between the Asian giants not take place in December.

Mani felt, “I think Pakistan would be within its right to refuse to be in the same group as India in any ICC event. Until now it is common knowledge that the ICC s main revenues have been generated from scheduling a match between Pakistan and India in any ICC event in the group stage itself.”

Earlier in 2012, the Rawalpindi-born administrator had also opined that the decision of Pakistan touring India for a 3-match ODI series was a mistake by the PCB. However, he insisted that participating in knock-out fixtures against India was necessary.

Asserting that the financial rewards gained by the ICC from India-Pakistan matches in global tournaments were significant, Mani said, “I think Pakistan should tell the ICC they should not be kept in the same group as India in any of the ICC events. If the two teams however meet up in a knockout match, that is fine. But, just by refusing to be in the same group will mean a big financial setback for the ICC because Pakistan and India matches are the showpiece for any ICC event.”

Pakistan should complaint against presence of politicians in BCCI: Mani

Citing the ICC constitution’s disagreement regarding the involvement of politicians in cricket administration, he noted, “Another step the Pakistan board can take to fight their case is to highlight the presence of so many politicians in the Indian cricket board when the ICC constitution clearly discourages interference of government or politicians in any home cricket board.”

Dismissing the BCCI’s stand that clearance from the Government of India was essential for the tour to go ahead, Mani claimed, “This clause that the Indian board must have clearance from their government to play Pakistan will always be used as an excuse to not revive Indo-Pak bilateral series.”

He also accepted that Pakistan cricket was reeling from India’s reluctance to play them in bilateral events. Affirming that PCB had lost an enormous amount of revenue due to the obstinate attitude of the BCCI, Mani also declared that Pakistan could certainly survive without any cricket against India.

Urging Pakistan to react strongly, Mani concluded, “If India does not play in December, Pakistan should also ask the ICC board to review the entire arrangement and agreement made for the change in governance system in the ICC last year.”