The Indian and Pakistan cricket boards gear up for three days of intense legal wrangling as the ICC Dispute Resolutions Committee act as the arbitrator in proceedings that will commence in Dubai on Monday.
The dispute started when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2014 to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023. However, the Indian board failed to fulfill its commitment with the Indian government refusing to give clearance for bilateral cricket matches between the nations in wake of of growing political tensions.
The Pakistan board, however, insists the Indian board is not trying hard enough as the two teams continue to play matches in major tournaments like World Cup and Asia Cup. It is seeking damages worth $70 million from the BCCI for loss in revenue.
However, BCCI officials say India doesn’t have to pay Pakistan anything.
Former IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla, speaking to ANI, said: “As far as BCCI-PCB dispute is concerned, my own view is that both the boards should resolve it amicably instead of taking it to ICC. BCCI always wanted to play with Pakistan but there are certain issues and we need government nod to play matches against Pakistan. Wherever international matches are organised by ICC or Asian Cricket Council, we always play with Pakistan. This time we played at a neutral venue (UAE for Asia Cup). There is no question of paying money to the Pakistan board.”
Pakistan board chief Ehsan Mani said, during the Asia Cup in the UAE, that had he been in charge when the dispute began he would have tried everything in his capacity to solve it amicably but admitted it is too late now.
“This process has gone beyond resolving it amicably. It’s in the final stages of reaching a conclusion. Had I been involved when the dispute happened, every effort would have been made to resolve it bilaterally,” Mani had said in Dubai.
The decision by the ICC committee after the three-day hearing will be final and non-appealable.
