Cricket’s ‘Big Three’ under big pressure as ICC faces threat of rebellion

A year after voting for changes that empowered England, India and Australia, Pakistan voted for amendments to be made to the ICC’s constitution

The International Cricket Council is facing the threat of open rebellion a little more than year after voting through changes that empowered England, India and Australia to run the world game.

The so called “Big Three” now enjoy increased revenue share and total control following constitutional changes agreed last year but the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board has revealed a growing split in the world game that looks set to be brought to a head by his country’s failed attempts to organise a tour against India in December.

Pakistan voted for the changes to the ICC’s constitution after being promised six lucrative series against India over an eight year period but there is a sense they were duped by an the Indian board that knew its own government would not allow cricketing ties between the two countries to resume.

Talks between India and Pakistan over a series to be held in December were cancelled this week after far right Hindu extremists stormed the office of the Indian cricket board in Mumbai.

It leaves Giles Clarke, the president of the England & Wales Cricket Board, facing the threat of having to renegotiate a fairer and more democratic constitution, and therefore conceivably less money for England and India, if as expected he takes over as chairman of the ICC later this year.

“We signed the new constitution on the understanding that India would play us six times in eight years. This was the inducement to us to drop our opposition and for the ICC to have a unanimous agreement,” Shahrayar Khan, chairman of the PCB, told Telegraph Sport. “Now we are now facing the problem if India does not play. It not only goes against MoU they signed but also the understanding on which we signed the new constitution.

“I know apart from Pakistan there are other countries not happy with this unequal treatment within the ICC board. It is unequal and undemocratic. But we signed it so we had to accept it. But within a year if treatment is not the same for each country then I think Pakistan will have to consider what to do about it. What can we do? There are other countries that feel like this. Anything is possible. I think the deal can be undone if the big three themselves feel this is not getting the work done.”

As a career diplomat, and one who was ambassador to France and Great Britain, Khan will have measured words carefully, particularly given the tense situation between India and Pakistan. He has given India a week to confirm the series against Pakistan in December.

He also warned Pakistan could pull out of the World Twenty20, due to be played in India next year, over security concerns. This week the Pakistani umpire, Aleem Dar, was pulled out of a match in Mumbai after the ICC could not guarantee his safety.

“I have a feeling our government is going to say to us that even if you want to go the security situation is such you cannot go,” he said. “It becomes a force majeure if the government says you cannot go. The atmosphere is very hostile to Pakistan now.”