On the eve of the World Cup 2023 clash against Bangladesh, India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey refrained from answering a reporter's question on the PCB complaint, saying that he was not the right person to respond to that query.
On Tuesday (October 17), PCB said it has filed an official complaint with the ICC regarding "inappropriate conduct targeted at the Pakistan squad” during the India versus Pakistan World Cup match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The PCB did not mention the exact nature of the incident that it was unhappy about during the match, in which Pakistan suffered a humiliating seven-wicket defeat at the hands of India.
"Honestly - I am the wrong person to answer that question. Really, I have not even heard what you are saying. That's not something; it's not my domain so really, I can't answer that,” Mhambrey said in the pre-match presser.
Meanwhile, the ICC is unlikely to take action on PCB’s complaint over the behaviour of the Ahmedabad crowd.
"The ICC takes every complaint very seriously but code is about individuals. I don't know what exactly is PCB looking at but it will be very difficult to take any tangible action," a veteran official, who has worked in both BCCI and ICC, told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"The ICC may identify individuals if there are charges of racism but if thousands of people are shouting a slogan, what can you do? No player was injured by any 'missile' hurled from the gallery? A partisan crowd is expected. That's pressure of elite sport," he added.
Soon after the match against India, Pakistan team director Mickey Arthur complained about the partisan crowd and no Pakistani music being played at the venue. He went on to say that it felt like a bilateral series game organized by BCCI rather than an ICC event.
Reacting to Arthur’s statement, ICC chairman Greg Barclay downplayed it as mere criticism that every World Cup edition faces.
“Every event that we have, there are always criticisms from various quarters,” Barclay was quoted as saying by AFP.
“Things that perhaps we’ll take away and try to work on, try to do better… so this event’s only [at] the start. Let’s see how the whole thing plays out and we’ll go away and we’ll review what could change, what we can do better, how we can improve World Cups and the general offering around cricket.
“We will just take it as it plays out, get to the end of the event. I’m satisfied that it will still be an outstanding World Cup,” he added.
(With PTI Inputs)
