Solidarity: Indian men's Cricket team may opt out of Champions Trophy

Mumbai: In an apparent show of solidarity with Indian women's Cricket team, the team India may opt out of the upcoming Champions Trophy.

The faceoff with the ICC came after the latter penalised Indian women's Cricket team for refusing to play against Pakistan. Peeved of at the decision, the Indian men’s team may opt out of the Champions Trophy in protest, the sources close to Indian team management revealed.

Surprisingly, the decision against women's Cricket team was formalised by ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar, the former BCCI President. The penalty against the women’s team came as a shock to Cricket fraternity as it was for everyone to see realise that political strain between the two countries did not allow Indo-Pak series to take place.

"We are amazed at the decision taken by Shashank Manohar against Indian team in the capacity of ICC head. He was in know of the things but still he took such decision to the chagrin of cricketers," a senior cricketer commented.

It is to tell you that the Shashank Manohar-led International Cricket Council has docked six points of Indian women's team for not abiding by the agreement which compelled them to play a bilateral series with Pakistan between August 1 to October 31.

An angry BCCI official also commented, "This move has a hidden motive through which they want our men's team as well to play with Pakistan. They would say if women can play so can men. But that won't happen. In case ICC does not overturn its decision, the men's team in solidarity with our women's team won't play in Champions Trophy."

According to an ICC release of Wednesday morning, "Following consideration of written submissions from both PCB and BCCI, the ICC Technical Committee has ruled that the India Women's team is deemed to have forfeited each of the three matches it was due to play against Pakistan in Round 6 of the ICC Women's Championship, and that the associated points should be awarded to Pakistan.

"The matches, which were due to be played between August 1 & October 31, 2016, were not formally scheduled and did not ultimately take place, and the Technical Committee has ruled that Pakistan will be awarded two points for each of the three games and, in accordance with the ICC Women's Championship playing conditions, India shall be considered to have scored 0 runs in each of the 50 overs in each of the three matches and that its net run rate shall be adjusted accordingly."

The Technical Committee claimed that they understand that the current state of relations between India and Pakistan are very sensitive, but the BCCI has failed to establish 'acceptable reasons' for not playing the bilateral series against their neighbours.