BCCI wants terror financier Pakistan out of World Cup

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From the note intended to be sent to the International Cricket Council (ICC) by Committee of Administrators (COA) to the one sent on Friday, the only change was the deletion of Pakistan’s name. And with that correspondence, the sports body urged the cricketing fraternity to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates.

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri, on the instruction of COA, shot off a mail to ICC president Shashank Manohar, CEO David Richardson and Colin Graves of England & Wales Cricket Board asking to bar terror-supporting countries from participating in the 2019 World Cup to be held in England between May 30 and July 14.

It is understood that COA chief Vinod Rai was of the opinion that Pakistan should be mentioned in the letter. But his colleague and former Indian women’s team skipper Diana Edulji stopped him from sending letter to world body without a formal discussion.

And it was with the consent of third member of the COA, newly-appointed Lt Gen Ravi Thodge (PVSM), who also joined the discussion on Friday that “Pakistan” was deleted before sending it to ICC.

“The BCCI legal team also apprised the COA of the consequences of writing such a note and also how it can only come back to bite India,” a source said to the press.

The ICC, in the past, has never interfered in any geopolitical issues between its member nations. “The 16th of June is very far way. We will take a call on that (playing Pakistan) much later and in consultation with the government,” Rai said after the meeting on Friday.

Meanwhile, Rai informed that the IPL 2019 will not have a opening ceremony and would contribute the money to the families of jawans martyred in Pulwama terror attack.