indianexpress.com :: ICC decides to keep mum against BCCI’s latest threat

ICC decides to keep mum against BCCI’s latest threat

Agencies

Posted online: Friday, January 11, 2008 at 1726 hrs IST

New Delhi, January 11:
The International Cricket Council on Friday declined to make any comments on BCCI Chief Sharad Pawar’s threat to call off the Indian cricket team’s tour of Australia if the ban on Harbhajan Singh was not revoked.

“We have no comments. All we can say is that there is a process and it will take its natural course”, an ICC spokesman told PTI from Dubai.

Pawar was quoted by Australian papers as saying that the threat of India pulling out of the cricket tour of Australia was real if the ban on spinner Harbhajan Singh was not lifted.

“Let’s see what happens, but allegations of racism against a member of our cricket team are not acceptable. After the meeting, we then will take action,” Pawar was quoted as saying in ‘The Herald Sun’.

Pawar confirmed that he has been empowered by the Board to decide on the matter.

“That is true but I will only use the power in support of Harbhajan for the rest of the country. There will be an (ICC) committee hearing. We are confident that in the hearing he will be cleared,” he added.

The ICC has still not fixed a date for the hearing of Harbhajan’s appeal but it was likely to take longer than the stipulated seven days.

The ICC rules state that the hearing should be held within seven days of a Commissioner being appointed but that can be extended if the circumstances demand.

Harbhajan was slapped a three-Test ban for allegedly racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds in the ill-tempered second Test between India and Australia in Sydney.

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ICC decides to keep mum against BCCI’s latest threat Agencies Posted online: Friday, January 11, 2008 at 1726 hrs IST New Delhi, January 11: The International Cricket Council on Friday declined to make any comments on BCCI Chief Sharad Pawar’s threat to call off the Indian cricket team’s tour of Australia if the ban on Harbhajan Singh was not revoked. “We have no comments. All we can say is that there is a process and it will take its natural course”, an ICC spokesman told PTI from Dubai. Pawar was quoted by Australian papers as saying that the threat of India pulling out of the cricket tour of Australia was real if the ban on spinner Harbhajan Singh was not lifted. “Let’s see what happens, but allegations of racism against a member of our cricket team are not acceptable. After the meeting, we then will take action,” Pawar was quoted as saying in ‘The Herald Sun’. Pawar confirmed that he has been empowered by the Board to decide on the matter. “That is true but I will only use the power in support of Harbhajan for the rest of the country. There will be an (ICC) committee hearing. We are confident that in the hearing he will be cleared,” he added. The ICC has still not fixed a date for the hearing of Harbhajan’s appeal but it was likely to take longer than the stipulated seven days. The ICC rules state that the hearing should be held within seven days of a Commissioner being appointed but that can be extended if the circumstances demand. Harbhajan was slapped a three-Test ban for allegedly racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds in the ill-tempered second Test between India and Australia in Sydney.