The International Cricket Council (ICC) has cautioned the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that it could face legal action from the T20 World Cup’s official broadcasters, JioStar, over Pakistan’s decision to boycott its February 15 match against India, a PCB source said on Tuesday.
Pakistan decided not to play the high-profile match in Colombo following instructions from its government, but the PCB has yet to formally convey the reasons for the boycott to the ICC.
According to a PTI report, the ICC is considering withholding Pakistan’s entire annual revenue share, estimated at around USD 35 million, and using that amount to compensate the broadcasters. A PCB source said chairman Mohsin Naqvi had consulted the board’s legal team before briefing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the matter last week, but the board is now preparing for serious repercussions.
“If Pakistan does not back down and play against India, they could face heavy financial penalties, a possible lawsuit from broadcasters, and even an appeal to the ICC Dispute Resolution Committee is unlikely to succeed,” the source told PTI.
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The ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee is an internal body that does not entertain appeals against decisions taken by the ICC Board itself.
Another PCB source pointed out that Pakistan’s position could be further weakened because the team is already playing all its matches at a neutral venue in Sri Lanka, a condition it had sought instead of playing in India.
The source also noted that while the Indian government has not allowed its team to tour Pakistan, it has not prevented India from playing Pakistan at neutral venues in Asia Cup or ICC tournaments, even after the conflict in May.
The PCB has not yet sent a written communication to the ICC, though the boycott is reportedly being viewed as an act of solidarity with Bangladesh following their ouster.
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“When the ICC signed a four-year broadcasting deal for its events, India-Pakistan matches were a key component of that contract, and payments were made accordingly,” the source said.
“As a result, the broadcaster would be well within its rights to take both the PCB and the ICC to court over what it sees as a major breach of contract.”
#With inputs from NDTV