Dispute arose when PCB filed an official complaint with the ICC last year about the fictional “massive losses incurred” because India refused to play ball with Pakistan.
The ICC said in its statement that the judgement is binding and non-appealable. BCCI CEO Rahul Johri led the fightback in the matter for the Indian Cricket Board.
The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Dispute Panel on Tuesday dismissed the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) claim against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) seeking compensation for no bilateral cricket between the two countries and blaming its Indian counterpart for the same.
A case of dispute arose when PCB filed an official complaint with the ICC last year about fictional “massive losses incurred”.
In the process, the PCB had sought damages from BCCI to the tune of US$70m and the case had last come up for a three-day hearing between October 1-3 this year. ICC’s disputes panel was chaired by Hon Michael Beloff QC, an English barrister and member of the Blackstone Chambers.
The Indian board had sought the services of renowned UK-based sports lawyer Ian Mills to argue its case alongside bringing on board Dubai-based law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. Cyril Amarchand, the Indian law firm that works with the BCCI back home, provided the backend assistance.
“Following a three-day hearing and having considered detailed oral and written submissions, the Dispute Panel has dismissed the PCB’s claim against the BCCI. The judgement, which can be found here in full, is binding and non-appealable,” the ICC said in a statement.
The game’s global governing body offered no other comment in this regard. The matter, sources say, is now closed. To PCB’s credit, the board’s former chairman Shaharyar Khan had voiced an opinion that Pakistan stood no chance against India in this matter, which has now turned out to be true.
The BCCI’s ace in the dispute hearing turned out to be in the form of former cabinet minister Salman Khurshid’s deposition. Khurshid was part of the UPA government when the two neighbouring countries had stopped all cricket between each other owing to cross-border friction and it is on the direction of the government that the BCCI chose not to participate in any bilateral cricket with Pakistan.
Khurshid’s deposition caught the Pak board by surprise as the latter was only represented by its former chief Najam Sethi and Chief Operating Officer Subhan Ahmad.
BCCI CEO Rahul Johri led India’s fightback in the matter and was instrumental in setting up the legal workforce to represent the board.
What Pakistan forgets that unlike them, the Indian Government takes Sovereign decisions and in case of National interest will neither bow to any Country, not even USA and nor to any entity, even if it is concerning the Olympics.
