The cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan has never been limited to the boundary rope. Most recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lodged a complaint with the International Cricket Council (ICC) against Pakistani players for making alleged “jihadi gestures” during an on-field celebration after a high-pressure standoff.
The Allegations and the Complaint
According to reports, Indian officials believed the gestures were unacceptable and inflammatory to the larger situation of a match involving India and Pakistan. The BCCI stated that the essence and spirit of cricket should remain preserved and that religious or political gestures are not acceptable on the international field. The BCCI conveyed recordings of the match to ICC officials to facilitate further disciplinary action they were seeking.
PCB’s Counterattack
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) did not accept the allegations without a fight. The PCB filed their own claims, stating that Indian players were equally or more provocative in their behaviour, with instances of animated celebrations and sledging mentioned. Their result emphasised that cricket should not be politicised and sidetracked the conversation to criticise the BCCI for its targeted use of social interaction and perception in regards to Pakistani players.
ICC’s Role and Possible Outcomes
With more and more complaints and counter complaints, the ICC find itself in the precarious position of having to investigate the matter. The global governing body of cricket does have experience in dealing with breaches of the code of conduct, but the implications of the accusations will make this case particularly uncomfortable. The ICC will be able to implement disciplinary measures for players that can range from warnings or financial penalties to bans from playing, depending on their findings.
Wider Impact for Indo-Pak Cricket Ties
This incident adds another layer of distrust to the already uneasy relationship between cricket in India and Pakistan. Both countries rarely play bilateral series because of the political climate, and only ever meet in ICC or ACC events. These situations may further compound this concern and ultimately restrict opportunities for direct engagement or affect future scheduling/crowd behaviours within matches.
Opportunity for internal linking
For readers interested in the ICC’s disciplinary frameworks for discipline in cricket, please refer to our detailed coverage of the ICC Code of Conduct rules and penalties in international cricket. This will allow readers to gain further context for the dispute between BCCI and PCB.
The BCCI and PCB conflict with the ICC is more than a matter of cricket – it reflects the underlying rivalry that exists in relation to cricket outside of the cricketing context. Although the ICC’s ruling is yet to be published, cricket fans across the entire world can.
