ICC to hear BCCI, PCB complaints against players: Details here
What's the story
The ongoing cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan has taken a contentious turn, with players' verbal exchanges now involving administrators. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have filed complaints against each other's players. In response, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has scheduled hearings for Thursday, September 28. Here are further details.
Escalation
PCB chief mocks India using Ronaldo's video
Adding to the controversy, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi shared a video of Cristiano Ronaldo mimicking a crashing plane. The act was similar to one performed by Pakistani cricketer Haris Rauf during the Super Four match on September 21. Rauf's gesture was widely seen as a reference to recent military action between India and Pakistan.
Hearings scheduled
Details of the hearing
The ICC will conduct a hearing on the BCCI's complaint against Rauf's gesture and Sahibzada Farhan's bat-as-gun celebration after his half-century in the same match. Match referee Andy Pycroft will hear the BCCI case while Richie Richardson will hear the complaint against India's Suryakumar Yadav. The latter had expressed solidarity with Pahalgam terror attack victims and Indian Army post-match on September 14. In the context of India-Pakistan tensions, these gestures are viewed as political statements. They are considered a clear violation of the ICC player code of conduct.
Clash
Possible final clash on September 28
India and Pakistan met during the group stage where the Men in Blue claimed a 7-wicket win in Dubai. Thereafter, India once again downed Pakistan by 6 wickets in the Super 4 stage. Both teams could face each other again in this tournament, possibly in the final on September 28. India have already reached the final whereas Pakistan will face Bangladesh tonight with the winner set to progress.