Former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani is worried about the health of international cricket following revelations that India has been left out of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) media rights deal for 2024-27. will receive the share, which is worth 3 billion dollars.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to receive 38.5% of the net additional revenue from the ICC, up from its 22% share in the current 2015-23 deal.
Mani, who was the ICC president from 2003-06 and will step down from the Pakistan Cricket Board in 2021, said, “(The proposed revenue sharing model) will give the most money to the country that needs it the least, which doesn’t make any sense,” told Forbes in an exclusive interview.
“I think it’s very unfortunate. There is no strategic thinking about the development of global sport. There is no vision.”
Mani also said that cricket should move beyond its traditional base instead of depending only on India.
“It only takes one downturn in the economic cycle for ICC members to be affected. There is a lot of trust in India,” he said.
“If the ICC really wants a global game and wants to diversify its financial dependence, the developing country is the US. There is a future.
“I think the global game (associates) should have been allocated at least 30% (instead of 11%). That is the only way to globalize the game.”
Instead of giving the lion’s share to India, Mani insisted on financial parity among the 12 full members of the ICC.
“You have to give enough resources to countries to not only develop their players but also pay them the right amount, especially with the IPL and other T20 leagues targeting players,” he said. “
“The Indian market brings in a lot of money… It’s not the BCCI (India’s governing body). ICC events and worldwide publicity are benefits for Indian companies. India is not playing the game itself. against other members. It’s a two-way street.”
