Ramiz Raja: “In one year, the Pakistan cricket team defeated a billion-dollar economy team twice.”
The newest spat between Indian and Pakistani teams has given the 2023 World Cup a new dimension, with Ramiz Raja himself spearheading a diatribe against the neighbours and threatening to boycott the event.
However, a boycott is unlikely to be simple for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) because the International Cricket Council (ICC) constitution outlines harsh penalties for a Member that violates its contractual duties.
“Without prejudice to Article 2.11(A)(i), the Board of Directors may suspend the membership of a Member with immediate effect where, in the opinion of the Board of Directors (in its absolute discretion), the Member is in serious breach of any of its obligations as a Member,” according to Clause 2.10 (Page 15) of ICC Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association states. Participating in a global event is an obligation of a Member.
“Without prejudice to Article 2.11(A)(i), the Board of Directors may suspend the membership of a Member with immediate effect where, in the opinion of the Board of Directors (in its absolute discretion), the Member is in serious breach of any of its obligations as a Member,” according to Clause 2.10 (Page 15) of ICC Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association states. Participating in a global event is an obligation of a Member.Sure, whether or not a Member may be suspended will be determined by a number of considerations, such as government authorization and security, and the case may be referred to an independent arbitration panel, but a boycott of an ICC event would not be without repercussions. The PCB portion of ICC earnings might be affected as well, as it has been verified that PCB are legally required to play in the World Cup.
There is no information on whether there was a formal debate on the topic at the recent ICC board meeting in Melbourne, but the general feeling inside the ICC is that things will normalise as time passes and we get closer to the tournament. The ICC will not comment on the matter due to the sensitivity of the situation.
Ramiz has connected Pakistan’s World Cup participation to India’s involvement in his nation for the Asia Cup next year. “If Pakistan doesn’t take part in the World Cup scheduled in India next year, who will watch it? We have a clear stand: If the Indian team comes here then we will go for the World Cup. If they don’t come then they can play the World Cup without us. We will adopt an aggressive approach,” the PCB chief said.
He also added, “Our team is showing performance. I’ve always said we need to improve the economy of Pakistan cricket, and that can only happen when we perform well. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, we beat India. We beat India in the T20 Asia Cup. In one year, the Pakistan cricket team defeated a billion-dollar economy team twice.”
The same rules may apply to the BCCI if it declines to go to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy in 2025, but that is more than two years away and the parties must resolve the current stalemate first. The Asian Cricket Council is in charge of the Asia Cup (ACC).
