Pakistan sues ICC

Pakistan cricket board (PCB) sent legal notices to ICC, IDI (ICC development international) and central organizing committee regarding the venues for world cup 2011.The petition was sent when Pakistan was stripped of the 14 matches for the world cup 2011. “The (ICC) board has no authority to move the secretariat and that’s why we have filed the case,” said Butt (Chairman of PCB)

ICC took the decision of stripping the matches from Pakistan in the last week meeting, after Sri Lankan players were attacked by terrorists in Pakistan. Seven Sri Lankan players were injured in the attack, 7 police men of Pakistan were dead in the same attack while protecting the players from terrorists. Since then, no country toured Pakistan. Hence, a fore mentioned decision was taken by ICC.

Ehsan Mani, the former president of ICC is said to be the master mind behind PCB’s legal petition.

Ejaz Butt

Ejaz Butt met Mani in Abu Dhabi, while Pakistan was playing Australia. According to media reports, Mani and Butt met several times in Dubai, its Mani’s suggestion to Butt, to claim a legal petition against ICC. Moving the matches from Pakistan and distributing between India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh was “NOT ” legal. Pakistan claim, if Pakistan is not safe for playing cricket, India and Sri Lanka are no better than Pakistan.

It was in Mani’s tenure, world cup 2011 was awarded to the sub-continent. Mani held talks with ICC to reevaluate their decision on banning Pakistan venues from cricket, which went in vain. Mani made Pakistan to claim a legal notice to ICC, since it was legally flawed. If Pakistan did not sue ICC now, it would get even tougher for Pakistan to get back to the international circuit. Hence, Pakistan took help from a London law firm and then sent summons to ICC, IDI and COC.