New Colonial Cricket System is an Insult
The new colonial and imperial system based on absolute greed and arrogance is an arrangement to ravage the game, a game incarnated into the hearts of millions. I'm appalled by this short-termism and how money can bulldoze the true essence and spirit of the game.
Australia and England being an accomplice at this stage will inevitably feel remorseful as soon as they are acquainted with the heinous designs of BCCI. Their interests will be lashed and they'll be ultimately purged out of the gang when the troika stands dissolved. India, the spoiled baby, will eventually end up ruling the world of cricket and other countries would have as much influence as the husband of a porn star has over his wife. The 'big three' are working towards a bleak future of the game.
ICC has been paralysed ever since with the hyperactive BCCI pulling its strings. No surprises there at all. The 'flag-bearers' and 'custodians' of the game have zero offering for the evolution of this game. That too involves a malicious will because expansion of cricket to China and USA could cause potential threat to India's cupidity. Associate members namely UAE, Afghanistan, Scotland and Ireland were not mentored according to the eminent international standards. The troika has been juggling well and the associate members are being offered inducements. The minions might fall into the trap.
The imperious attitude of BCCI is the root cause of this ongoing vandalism of the game. This is a perfect epitome of power gone mad. BCCI claims to bring in about 80% of the revenue to ICC. Under the proposed ICC revamp, BCCI's income will increase by 500%, England's and Australia's income would increase by 75% and 10% respectively. South Africa's and Pakistan's share will decrease by 20% with the rest of the countries getting a paucity of the great wealth. So, this is the standard operating procedure to plunder cricket.
All the television broadcasters and sponsors belong to India and bring in about 80% of the money in the world cup. Can't India pull everything out to make it worthless? If Bangladesh doesn't support this idea, they will be deprived of the ICC T20 world cup. Isn't it blackmailing? Definitely, India is trying to intimidate and patronize the weaker cricketing countries. CA, ECB and all those in support of this proposal are equally culpable. I would rather go an extra mile to comment that it is a suicidal instinct.
BCCI has already averted twice from the promise of Indo-Pak bilateral series. Also, BCCI can't refrain itself from mudslinging and casting aspersions on Pakistan. Remember the spot-fixing case? On the other hand, Suresh Raina was granted a safe exit passage after being in limelight for corruption charges. They have all the right to be treated superiorly. Money speaks. Might is right. Time and again we hear BCCI spitting venom against PCB. If BCCI takes over, the entire struggle through back door diplomacy to revive cricket in Pakistan will go in vain due to the conventional hostility between the two.
Another pertinent viewpoint; the fallacious proposal of the 'big three' will trigger corruption in cricket. From the very inception of IPL, this filth has incorporated the game and totally plagued it! Despite of having an anti-corruption unit with limitless jurisdiction, corruption has still not been completely expunged from the game.
BCCI chairman himself is entailed in corruption and his son-in-law was leveled with corruption allegations and was put behind the bars. In recent times, cricket is losing its popularity because of abundance of commercialized policies and faces a severe trust deficit. The approval of the proposed ICC revamp can prove to be the final nail in the coffin.
India's flamboyance was exposed in New Zealand where they were confronted with a humiliating defeat. England met the same fate in Australia. Australia faced a thrashing defeat at the hands of England when they toured them last year. After taking over the ICC, the arrangement of conditions, venues and dates would be their prerogative which will provide them with the edge and increase their prospects of winning.
This is simply disgusting and an insult to the rest of the cricketing nations. Pardon me for my bias; Pakistan has not played a single match on their home ground, yet managed to secure a record-making seven series win in a calendar year.
A natural knee-jerk reaction is a big 'NO' when a diehard cricket fan becomes aware of this monarchical two-tier system plan. Although commercial and financial committee is already gone to England, it is never too late to react. Cricket fans protested outside India versus New Zealand match, such is the indignation among the followers. The new structural apparatus would benefit the financially weaker countries has been erroneously indoctrinated by dodgy estimations and fudged statistics.
Unanimity among the non-members of this proposed system is the need of time. We need to combat this through due-diligence, media management and lobbying otherwise sovereignty of the game will be compromised. PCB, CSA, WICB and SLC should become an impediment and agitate against this tyranny or else they'll have to face the ramifications in the form of cricket being made 'very exclusive.' Putting everything in a nutshell, the ICC proposed revamp is not good for cricket. cricket icc www.pakpositive.com