ICC Board Resolution: No Legal Guarantee, Merely a Piece of Paper

According to ESPN Cricinfo, the ICC has merely passed a resolution addressing the crisis created by the BCCI’s last-minute decision not to play CT25 matches in Pakistan. This resolution was adopted despite the fact that no other participating country in the CT25 tournament raised objections to playing in Pakistan. Furthermore, ICC inspection teams have consistently visited Pakistan to oversee tournament preparations, issuing satisfactory reports confirming that the PCB’s arrangements met all requisite standards.

However, the PCB has not secured any legally binding guarantee or undertaking from the BCCI or the ICC that compels India to adhere to the resolution. This leaves the resolution vulnerable to being overturned by subsequent decisions of the ICC Board.

Given the circumstances, the PCB still has the opportunity to demand an unequivocal undertaking from both the BCCI and the ICC. Such an undertaking should stipulate that the Pakistan team will not participate in any cricket matches in India unless and until the Indian cricket team undertakes a full-fledged tour of Pakistan, consisting of five Test matches, three ODIs, and seven T20Is.

Alternatively, the PCB holds a strong legal position to escalate this matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Switzerland. Pakistan can present its case based on the ICC’s official allocation of the CT25 tournament to the PCB, a decision made with the explicit consent of the BCCI. The PCB has expended billions of rupees in making all necessary arrangements for the tournament, which were carried out under the ICC’s supervision and consistently met with approval from its inspection teams. The BCCI’s eleventh-hour withdrawal not only disrupts the tournament but also amounts to political interference and bad faith, causing irreparable harm to the PCB and cricketing integrity.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
+92 321 9402157
Lahore – Pakistan