Pakistan-India cricket

E-Paper | July 26, 2026

INDIA’S persistent failure to honour its cricket commitments with Pakistan for a bilateral series could see the Pakistan Cricket Board file a case in the International Cricket Council in January 2018 to settle the long-standing dispute. The PCB is seeking compensation from the BCCI, the Indian cricket board, for not honouring an MoU signed between the two boards in 2014 under which Pakistan and India were to play six bilateral series from 2015 to 2023. Unlike his predecessors, PCB chairman Najam Sethi has pursued the matter and is confident about getting a favourable verdict from the ICC. He recently said that lawyers were giving final shape to the case against the BCCI. The PCB is confident of success; since 2015 it has offered the BCCI multiple options including playing at neutral venues because the Indian government does not want to send the team to Pakistan or to invite the Pakistanis over, for security reasons. The PCB appears to mean business this time as it has allocated $1m for contesting the case in the ICC and other courts if it fails to get a favourable decision.

However, given the Indian government’s propensity to mix politics with sports, and the ICC’s reputation as a toothless tiger in such cases, many here aren’t too optimistic about the PCB’s success. Besides, the ICC’s currently being headed by an Indian, Shashank Manohar, does not help either. Although Mr Manohar, during his tenure as ICC chief, has largely been impartial in matters involving his native country, he has been a bystander in crucial matters such as India’s defiance of the ICC’s future tours programme or its continued refusal to make use of the decision review system. Both apply strictly to all other cricket-playing nations. If the deadlock persists, it would be detrimental for the game since there are few contests in cricket that are as exciting or financially viable as a Pakistan-India match. The stupendous monetary and viewership success of the Champions Trophy final in England last June was just one example of this.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2017

Newspaper

Quid pro quo

AI in government

Cautious optimism

Wish

Nov 27, 2017 06:51am

Earlier PCB President Mr. Sharyar Khan has said on record that PCB has no case as everybody knows MOU are only memorandum of Understanding and not firm contract. Not sure why PCB want to waste $1 million and more.

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Nov 27, 2017 08:26am

Its not Mr Manohar, its BCCI's money power..It is a super power in Cricketing world and as all other super powers in the world behave, you can expect BCCI to have things the way it likes.

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jai1

Nov 27, 2017 08:45am

Cricket under the shadow of the gun??? I don't think so.

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PakPukudenguta

Nov 27, 2017 08:52am

Naturally you don't get it and I am not surprised. Firstly, MOU is an "understanding" which will vanish with "misunderstanding". Secondly, it is not a "contract" that can be legally enforced. In other words "understanding" is just a "goodwill gesture" without any legal binding, mostly it is a precursor to a contract. Thirdly the MOU did not have a penal clause for not implementation. Finally, if I know Pakistan well, this will be used as a pretext to right royally pocket one million dollars set apart to fight the unwinnable legal drama.

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Manoj Kumar

Nov 27, 2017 10:19am

Some people are going to add to their riches!

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citizen

Nov 27, 2017 10:41am

probably Indians are scared of playing pakisthan after a crushing defeat at champions and they knew pretty well that they cannot win a single match against pakisthan for next 10 years..

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Sumit

Nov 27, 2017 11:45am

Peace is more valuable than a few cricket matches. No peace, no cricket.

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Dr BACTERIA

Nov 27, 2017 01:11pm

First, if it wasn't for Manohar's impartiality, the Big 3 would still be existing and PCB wouldn't have seen a windfall. Second, BCCI follows the FTP and has agreed to the Test Championships, it's only question is games involving. PCB has only NOW approached the ICC. But there is no point in castigating Manohar BEFORE the verdict is out, is there? And third, BCCI has been following DRS rule for over a year now. (Also, when it didn't, it would be a bilateral agreement between two boards, in which ICC had no role).

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Shiva

Nov 27, 2017 01:53pm

@citizen good for you mate.........enjoy the dream...spread the word

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Ustad

Nov 27, 2017 05:05pm

As long as Pakistan sends it team across the LOC, there will be no other teams allowed.

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Ghazani

Nov 27, 2017 06:17pm

$1million going in the drain. Better to save the rare foreign exchange than to fight for the lost pride.

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skg

Nov 27, 2017 09:01pm

@Shiva Very well said. Let them enjoy.

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Pnpuri

Nov 27, 2017 09:34pm

The key words are " play six bilateral series from 2015 to 2023. " what is the hurry. There are more than 5 years left. any claim at present is premature. Wait PCB cause of action will arise only in 2023 or thereafter.

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Silhouette

Nov 28, 2017 12:17am

FIFA is a perfect role model when it depoliticizing a sport. ICC should learn from it or be disbanded. There are no super powers in sport based on money alone. Indians are over the heads thinking their money can buy influence forever. Their spell over ENG and AUS will ultimately crack - its only a matter of time.

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Silhouette

Nov 28, 2017 12:00pm

Does anybody care to think for one second that politicizing a sport is illegal and immoral or has it just become a norm in the subcontinent. Pity on the people of this region with their ground realities. How do you expect the world or the olympic association to accept this sport when its so imbued with politics.

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