MUMBAI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sent a strongly worded letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC), calling for action against India for wearing camouflage military caps produced by BCCI’s kit partner Nike during the third ODI against Australia in Ranchi.
“We have made our point very strongly to the ICC which now has no doubts or confusion about our intention or stance now on this matter,” PTI quotes Mani as having told reporters at Karachi’s National Stadium on Sunday night.
“We will be sending another letter to the ICC in next 12 hours after more consultations with our lawyers,” he added.
Mani said that Pakistan’s stance is very clear that cricket must not be used for politics.
“This is the second that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has tried to use cricket for politics. They took permission from ICC for some other purpose and used it to do something else, which is not acceptable,” he said.
The PCB is unlikely to get much traction with the ICC though going by a report filed by DNA, which says the BCCI had informed and TAKEN CLEARANCE (emphasis ours) from the ICC about wearing the military caps in Ranchi around five months ago, DNA reports.
Last month, BCCI had asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to “sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates” following the Pulwama terror attack where 42 CRPF jawans were killed in a suicide attack, the responsibility of which was taken by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, which has well documented links to Pakistan’s deep state.
Recalling the move by India against Pakistan in the ICC and World Cup, Mani said that by indulging in such behaviour for a second time they have hurt their credibility and standing in the cricket world.
Mani said they have reminded the ICC about the disciplinary action they took against Imran Tahir and Moin Ali few years back when the players tried to make a political statement on field.
“We want the ICC to take similar sort of action against the Indians.” As a mark of respect to the CRPF jawans who lost their lives in the Pulawama terrorist attack, Indian cricketers had sported the Army cap in the third ODI and also donated their match fee for the welfare of the families of the martyrs.
However, Pakistan’s foreign and information ministers took exception to the gesture and criticised the Indian team and also urged the PCB to take up the issue with ICC to take punitive action against the Indian players.
