Tag: greg barclay

  • ‘Reading Namaz in front of Indians’; Rizwan targeted by same lawyer who harassed Zainab Abbas

    ‘Reading Namaz in front of Indians’; Rizwan targeted by same lawyer who harassed Zainab Abbas

    Indian lawyer, Vineet Jindal, who had previously filed a case against sports presenter Zainab Abbas, resulting in her leaving India under security threats, has now turned his proverbial guns on Pakistani cricketer Muhammad Rizwan.  

    Jindal has written a complaint against Rizwan to Greg Barclay, the head of the International Cricket Council (ICC) for offering prayers on the field.  

    He goes on to write that the act of Namaz raises “questions about the spirit of the match and ideology”, since it was said in a “field amid many Indians.” 

    He also writes that Rizwan offering prayers among Indians is “symbolic” of the “intentional depiction of his religion.” 

    Users on social media are in a state of shock with some suggesting that ‘it seems to shock Jindal that Rizwan is, indeed, a Muslim’.  

    https://twitter.com/salmank11727912/status/1713418526650974243?s=48&t=rOeCbdRYErknX-iusAjnIQ

    Jindal continues to criticise Rizwan for dedicating his win to the people of Gaza, saying that dedication was against the ideology of India. His criticism seems unwarranted since the ICC, when responding to a similar comment by an Indian journalist said that Rizwan’s tweet about Gaza was his right since posting his opinion on social media did not fall under the rules of the game. 

    Netizens are also worried that Jindal seems to assume that Rizwan is Indian and not Pakistani. Why else would he have to follow Indian ideology?  

    He ends his complaint by asking ICC to take action against Rizwan. 

  • PCB urges ICC to ensure India’s Participation in Champions Trophy

    PCB urges ICC to ensure India’s Participation in Champions Trophy

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials have reportedly made it clear to International Cricket Council (ICC) officials that Pakistan will only travel to India, for the upcoming World Cup 2023, if the neighboring country gives a guarantee in written form that they will send their team to Pakistan in the 2025 Champion’s Trophy.

    PCB officials placed the demand for give and take from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in front of two top ICC officials – Chairman Greg Barclay and CEO Geoff Allardice- on the second day of their tour at the board’s headquarters.

    PCB interim management committee chairman Najam Sethi spelled it out that Pakistan boycotting World Cup in India and playing their matches at a neutral venue is “very much a possibility”. This will be seen as a retaliation by the country, if India will not negotiate on Asia Cup, which is scheduled to be played in Pakistan in September 2023.

    The BCCI, so far, has also rejected the revised version of a hybrid model proposed by the PCB, in which initial group stage matches, except the matches of India, will be played in Pakistan and the rest of tournament will shift to a neutral venue. Even if the proposal is accepted, the PCB would mull playing the World Cup at a venue outside India and would provide the latter the same option come the Champions Trophy.

    Asia Cup so far, is not a matter of concern, with the ICC.

    Najam Sethi and co sat down at the table with the two top officials of ICC, but the minutes of the meeting have not been made public yet.

    PCB asked the ICC officials for a formal assurance of India’s participation in the Champions Trophy, the hosting rights of which were awarded to Pakistan two years ago.

    Barclay and Allardice’s visit, although a “scheduled” one, was a high-profile one given the scenario, but there has been silence from both the ICC and the PCB and neither have made any officials announcements so far.

    Discussions over the ICC’s expected revenue sharing model — leaked figures of which have revealed that India would take away 38.5 per cent of the body’s revenue, while Pakistan would get a mere 5.75 per cent — also continued between the PCB and the ICC officials.

    According to sources, Pakistan’s concerns on its deadlock with the BCCI will be discussed during the upcoming ICC Board meetings.

    However, given India’s stranglehold over the world’s cricket economy, it would be difficult for the ICC to entertain PCB’s asks. In such circumstances, the PCB may well consider forfeiting it’s matches in the World Cup.

  • ICC Chairman and CEO all set to visit Lahore on Tuesday

    ICC Chairman and CEO all set to visit Lahore on Tuesday

    International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Greg Barclay and Chief Executive Geoff Allardice will arrive in Lahore on Tuesday morning on a two-day visit, during which they will meet Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Management Committee Mr Najam Sethi (also an ICC Director), PCB Chief Operating Officer Barrister Salman Naseer and other board officials.

    While Mr Allardice has regularly visited Pakistan, first as ICC General Manager – Cricket and then as ICC Chief Executive, this will be Mr Barclay’s first visit to Pakistan.

    Mr Barclay will be the first ICC Chairman to tour Pakistan since ICC President Ray Mali’s visit in 2008. This will also be the first time since October 2004 when both the top two ICC officials will together visit the Pakistan cricket headquarters.

    Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced an open invitation to media to cover the arrival of ICC top officials.

    While the purpose of this meeting is not disclosed yet, speculations are rife that ICC officials are here to discuss World Cup 2023 dispute with Najam Sethi.

    Mr. Sethi has made it clear that if India accepts their hybrid model for Asia Cup 2023, then they will also propose a same model for World Cup 2023 as Pakistan cricket team also has security concerns in India.

    However, he also said that the country’s government will have the right to decide (BBC).