BCCI Trying to Isolate Pakistan Says Mani

Karachi: Former ICC president Ehsan Mani has held the Indian Cricket Board responsible for the shifting of the 2011 World Cup matches out of the country and said the move was a deliberate effort on BCCI's part to isolate Pakistan from the cricketing world.

Mani was critical about India's role in ICC's decision to shift Pakistan's share of World Cup matches out of the nation due to security concerns and said BCCI's financial might lends it an upper hand in the world body.

"I can say this with conviction that no board is today able to stand up to the Indian board in the ICC. Unfortunately, it is all about making money these days and the Indians dominate," he said.

Mani disclosed that initially when the World Cup dispute first arose, there was a consensus that Pakistan should be allowed to host its share of matches at neutral venues.

"I know for a fact that this was decided, but India turned it down at the cricket committee meeting and since Saleem Altaf was representing Pakistan in Ejaz Butt's absence things went wrong somewhere.

"India then insisted that the matches should only be held in the south Asian region," he said on Thursday.

"In a calculated manner, India is trying to isolate Pakistan from international cricket. No board is willing to support us and we have no inputs coming from other boards," Mani added.

The former ICC President also made it clear that he was worried about Pakistan's participation in the 2011 mega-event.

"No one including the ICC is willing to answer the most important question what happens if relations don't improve between India and Pakistan until 2011.

"Will Pakistan get permission to play its matches in India?" he questioned.

"Given the existing relations between the two countries, any untoward incident can trigger off more problems. Then does the ICC willing to organise the World Cup without Pakistan?" Mani asked.

Mani also clarified that the PCB's decision to file a legal challenge against the ICC was it's own.

"I gave them my honest opinion but the PCB took the final decision. When I was ICC President I ensured no board was allowed to promote its self interest and every board was treated equally and fairly. That is not happening now," he stated.