The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Shah reaffirms India's stand

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Thursday, Jan 19, 2006

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Sport - Cricket

Shah reaffirms India's stand

Special Correspondent

Mumbai: The secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Niranjan Shah, reaffirmed India's stand that it would not be taking part in the ICC Champions Trophy after hosting it this year, and will also continue to oppose the Super Series and the introduction of 20-20 World Cups. Mr. Shah added that the BCCI would meet all other commitments till the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.

Mr. Shah said that the world governing body is pressing hard for a mandate from the BCCI for the 2007-2015 `ICC cycle of events,' a handful of which he described as superfluous. The ICC has sent the BCCI a `Compliance Manual' for the eight-year period and had set a deadline of December 31, 2005.

"I have not signed the document. I have circulated the manual to all the BCCI members so that they can come prepared for the Working Committee meeting in New Delhi on January 23. I am not going to sign the document because the proposed ICC events would impinge on India's home internationals for eight years.

Reacting to the rejoinder issued by the ICC CEO Malcolm Speed, reminding the BCCI of "its obligations to the international cricket community,'' Mr. Shah said: "The ICC wants India to give a commitment to its annual events from 2007 to 2015. This includes World Cups, Champions Trophy, Super Series in 2009 and 2013, 20-20 World Cups over a three-year cycle, under-19 World Cups, women's World Cups and also a new event titled World Cricket League Division I.

What has clearly upset the BCCI is the fact that all the ICC events from 2007-2015 have been scheduled from October-November and January-February.

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