The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is set to approach the International Cricket Council (ICC) to seek action against India for “politicising” the game by sporting camouflage army caps during a recent match against Australia.
The Indian cricket team had worn camouflage caps during their third One-Day International (ODI) match against Australia on Friday “as [a] mark of tribute to the loss of lives in Pulwama terror attack and the armed forces”.
The move had prompted criticism from within Pakistan, with both Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi calling for the cricket’s world governing body to take action against and ban India for politicising the Gentleman’s Game.
Speaking to reporters in Karachi, PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani said the ICC has no misapprehensions about the fact that cricket should not be used for politics.
“We do not want to see the shoulder of cricket being used for politics,” the PCB chief said, revealing that they will be writing a letter to the ICC to protest India’s movie within the next 12 hours.
“The Indian cricket team did an inappropriate thing due to which their standard has fallen,” he added.
Recalling that the ICC had previously reprimanded South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir and banned England all-rounder Moeen Ali from wearing items with personal or political messages, Mani said the PCB wants the ICC to also take action against the Indian cricket board.
The PCB chief also said security officials from Australia and Bangladesh are visiting Karachi where the last matches of the fourth edition of the PSL are being held.
“They will find out through this event that there are no [security] threats in Pakistan,” he concluded.