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ICC Apartheid Proposal: Pakistan’s dilemma to vote or not

Do you remember the Cold War when the ideologies of capitalism and communism were fighting each other for superiority?? Just in recent development, the cricketing world is also in the same fix as the “Big Three” countries namely India, Australia and England have formed a grand proposal to take over the cricketing world.

Recently, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has prepared a plan to take over the International Cricket Council (ICC). It has made Cricket Australia and English Cricket Board as a part of its conspiracy as well. They have suggested a plot to restrict the affairs of ICC to themselves.

The report which was submitted by BCCI states that the administrative affairs of the sport shall be limited only to India, England and Australia. The Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Financial Affairs Chairman can only be selected from the three countries as well.

It is of no doubt that the three countries are the ones with the highest cricketing budget as well. India with the IPL, Australia with their Big Bash League and England with their lucrative domestic cricketing season are cricketing tournaments with high expenses. Most of the financing of the cricketing board is done by the three countries itself but it gives them no reason to take over the affairs of world cricket.

We can clearly see that the term "Money is Power" is evident from the BCCI proposal. Not only it is unjust for the Big Three to demand control of the cricket world. It is creating apartheid in the sport. It will indeed have its setback for the image of cricket in the world.

Naturally, other countries such as South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies and Sri Lanka have raised the concerns on the proposal. South Africa has already rejected the suggestions of the BCCI whereas New Zealand, Sri Lankans and the West Indies are also less likely to vote in favor of the Big Three countries in the upcoming board meetings. The management of the support should be given in the hands of all the states playing the sport.

Pakistan may come in handy as its cricketing ties may come as a positive and negative.

India has already offering incentives to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) if they vote in their favor. They have claimed that they will raise the return of International Cricket in Pakistan but it does not guarantee that whether India will really raise the issue in ICC platform.

Rameez Raja, commentator and former Pakistani cricketer, has said that Pakistan should support the apartheid like proposal as it will increase a cricketing series and additional chances will be given to the players in other domestic counties. Zaka Ashraf, Chairman PCB, has also said that he will do what is in the interest of the country. There is a slight chance that our cricket board may vote in favor of the proposal.

Pakistan cannot tarnish its cricketing ties with countries like South Africa, Sri Lanka and West Indies as they are playing series against each other every on and off. It should be remembered that Pakistan supported Sri Lanka in 1996 World Cup and played its matches during the conflict with Tamil Tigers when all countries refused to do so.

The repercussion of the acceptance of the proposal will be intense. It may lead to a boycott of the Cricket World Cup and big scale tournaments like the Champions Trophy. Teams may not even tour each other due to the problems and objections against the ICC proposal or even send their players for domestic cricket competitions such as IPL, Big Bash League and South African Twenty20 tournaments.

The new ICC proposal is indeed creating a divide for the cricketing world. Many other countries are rejecting the BCCI proposal to "hijack" ICC along with Australia and England whereas Pakistan's vote is crucial for either side. Pakistan has chances of gaining as well as risking its ties with other states. It remains to be seen that what turns out in the crucial board meeting.

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