Days have elapsed without any formal reaction from the BCCI or the all-powerful Committee of Administrators to the International Cricket Conference’s summary rejection of the Indian plea to isolate Pakistan from the global “oval”. The coming World Cup to be precise. Does that point to India meekly swallowing a slap on the face in much the same way as the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation first broke new ground by inviting Mrs Sushma Swaraj to address its opening session, only to subsequently ignore what she said by adopting a customary anti-India resolution on Kashmir? The matters are not unconnected: one commonality being that India was overly-enthusiastic about its call to shun Pakistan finding universal endorsement. Or that India diluted its presentation at both forums by being politically correct and not directly identifying its target. Either way, India’s reputation took a beating; the ICC re-emphasising that it would not sully its reputation by joining forces with one of its members against another.
It is quite possible that the BCCI thought the huge financial support that India extends to the sport would pressure other cricketing nations into submission, but that proved illusory. Many countries do not send their teams to Pakistan because the law and order situation there is unfavourable, yet they do not automatically follow the Indian line of state-sponsored terrorism. That the ICC was alive to the probability of the Indian call receiving little endorsement was evident from the fact of the proposal not even being taken up for formal consideration. Clearly no homework had been done by the BCCI/COA, no assessment of the support that proposal was likely to receive. That despite the worldwide sense of horror over the suicide bombing at Pulwama there was little or no “cricketing condemnation” of Imran Khan’s government ought to have served as a reality check and alerted the BCCI/COA against “rushing in…” A more efficient ministry of external affairs might have stepped in with saner counsel. Alas, jingoistic nationalism won the day, and Indian cricket has much egg on its face. For equating Pakistan-backed terror with apartheid in South Africa testifies to low thinking. What now? With former Indian players, including a former captain, having pressed for boycotting Pakistan to carry on as normal would be silly. Forfeiting a preliminary- round match would be giving Pakistan two free points ~ and what if the two sides were to meet again in the knock-out phase? Would India refrain from competing again? Virat Kohli’s side have done well enough to project themselves as favourites to win the World Cup once again, it would be cruel to deny them that opportunity regardless of whether the BCCI/COA or the government took that final decision. Mixing politics with sport has ever been a lethal cocktail, and despite what the current spin doctors may sing, that remains ‘na mumkin’.