BCCI chief Roger Binny’s hard-hitting reply to Afridi and Pakistan reporter’s ‘ICC inclined towards India’ allegation

Following Wednesday’s T20 World Cup game between India and Bangladesh in Adelaide, a Pakistan journalist alleged that ICC tends to favour India in multi-nation events.

Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi, while responding to that question, didn’t directly agree but his answer traded on similar lines. Their comments were based on the Shakib Al Hasan episode during that Super 12 Group 2 game where the Bangladesh skipper was not happy with match being resumed within 15 minutes after the rain stopped. Notably, Adelaide is known to be ome of the quickest drying grounds in the world.

Afridi’s comment created quite a stir in world cricket and on Friday, BCCI chief Roger Binny gave a hard-hitting reply to the allegations.

Speaking to Samaa TV on the episode after the rain break at the Adelaide Oval, a Pakistan journalist had said, “Shakib Al Hasan bhi yehi keh rahe thhe. Aur woh screen par bhi dikhaya gaya. Aap ne ground dekhi… geeli thi. Par mujhe lagta hai ki ICC ka jhukaav jo hai, woh zara India ko kisi tareeke se semifinal pohuchaane ke liye kar raha hai (Shakib Al Hasan said the same thing and it was shown on the screen as well. You saw the ground how wet it was. But I feel that the ICC is somewhat inclined towards India. They want to ensure that India reach the semifinals at any cost).”

Afridi, who was part of the panel, responded saying, “I know what happened. Given the amount of rain that happened, the game resumed immediately after the break. It is very evident that that ICC, then India playing, then the pressure that comes with it, there are many factors involved.”

Binny has lashed out at the allegations made by the two saying that no team gets a special treatment during ICC events, even India, despite it being a “big powerhouse” in cricket.

“Not fair. I don’t think we’re favoured by ICC. Everyone gets same treatment. No way in which you can say that. What do we get different from other teams? India is a big powerhouse in cricket but we’re all treated the same,” he told ANI.

While Bangladesh were ahead in the chase, in terms of DLS par score when rain had started, they fell like nine pins after resumption, eventually succumbing to a five-run defeat. The win put India a step closer to semi-final qualification.