In Jay Shah’s first board meeting as ICC chairman, PCB remains absent, Saikia represents BCCI

PTI, Dec 5, 2024, 7:49 PM IST

The ICC Board’s meeting with Champions Trophy broadcasters Star Sports, to discuss the operational modalities of hosting the tournament in ‘Hybrid Model’ and prospective schedule, has been postponed to Saturday, according to sources. In another interesting move, BCCI joint secretary Devajit Lon Saikia represented India in the Board of Directors meeting on Thursday. On the same day, former BCCI secretary Jay Shah visited the ICC headquarters for the first time as the global body’s chairperson.

Shah met the Board of Directors which included Bangladesh’s Faruque Ahmed, New Zealand’s Roger Twose, ICC chief executive officer Geoff Allardice, deputy chair Imran Khwaja, Zimbabwe’s Tavengwa Mukuhlani, UAE’s Mubashshir Usmani, Sri Lanka’s Shammi Silva, Dr. Mohammed Abdul Samad Moosajee of South Africa and Malaysia’s Mahinda Vallipuram. They were all present in Dubai.

The meet and greet session was actually a platform for all the like-minded cricket boards to pledge their support for the ‘Hybrid Model’ to the new ICC chair.

While the representatives from England and Wales Cricket, Cricket Australia and Cricket West Indies weren’t present in person, no one came from the Pakistan Cricket Board.

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It is understood that the ICC Board members, in overwhelming numbers, are going to reject the Pakistan Cricket Board’s demands of a fusion Model and also no assurances will be given to Pakistan about future ICC events in India being be held in the ‘Hybrid Model’.

The only thing where the PCB might get some leverage is extra compensation. Already broadcasters have given it in writing that a Champions Trophy without India is a non-starter and a Indo-Pak group league game is also non-negotiable for them because of the revenue generated.