ICC or BCCI? The bias is clear in global cricket

The recent blitz by the International Cricket Council (ICC) has raised one uncomfortable question: Is this body really “international”, or has it quietly morphed into the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) playground? The growing ICC bias towards India is becoming hard to ignore — and fans worldwide are starting to ask whether fairness still exists in international cricket.

Take the case of Haris Rauf. Following the heated Pakistan vs India match, he was slapped with a fine and a demerit point for reacting. But what about Suryakumar Yadav, the Indian captain whose action arguably ignited the chain reaction? He received a relatively light penalty: just 30% of his match fee. The message is clear: one standard for Pakistan, a gentler one for India.

And then there’s the bombshell from former ICC match-referee Chris Broad. In his explosive revelation, he recounted being told: “Be lenient… find some time, because it’s India.” He described how, when India were three or four overs behind the required rate—a situation that normally triggers a fine—he was instructed to fudge the timing so the offence would not formally register. He went as far as to say: “India got all the money and has now taken over the ICC in many ways.”

This isn’t just an allegation, it goes to the heart of fairness in global cricket. When officials confess that they’ve been pressured, the integrity of the sport is at stake.

But the hypocrisy runs even deeper than disciplinary actions.

The Indian team routinely shuns the handshake line with Pakistani players. They refuse to accept trophies from Pakistani cricket administrators even though the latter is led by Mohsin Naqvi, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board and President of the Asian Cricket Council. Yet when it comes down to business, playing the matches, raking in sponsorship dollars and broadcasting rights, they’re all in. If you won’t shake hands, if you’ll avoid the optics, why play the sport at all? But play they do and the question lingers: why this double standard?

The hypocrisy becomes more glaring when we look ahead to the Emerging Asia Cup 2025, set to begin on November 14. India has been placed in the same group as Pakistan. If you’re so adamant about your nationality, and so hurt by past incidents like Pahalgam, then why willingly share a group with Pakistan? Why not raise the flag, walk away, and prove your point by not participating? Instead, you play and you profit. The message: We may not like you, but we’ll still beat you. And we’ll expect the system to protect us when we do.

So we return to the fundamental question: is the ICC still the guardian of global cricket, or is it simply the BCCI’s boardroom in Delhi by proxy? If the “international” council listens to one power-centre more than others, then what chance does the rest of the world have? Cricket deserves better, and fans deserve fairness. If we’re going to believe in the spirit of the game, we must believe in equal standards.

This is the hypocrisy that needs to be questioned. It’s not about rivalry anymore, it’s about double standards. Cricket deserves fairness. The game belongs to everyone, not just those with power, money, or influence.

All facts and information are the sole responsibility of the writer