The former ICC president Mustafa Kamal’s grudge against the Board of Cricket Control in India and its former chief N Srinivasan has made news before. He had made quite a fuss after India beat Bangladesh in the quarterfinals of the ICC World Cup 2015 which led to him stepping down as the ICC chief in April this year.
However, even after three months since, it seems that he still holds that grudge. In an exclusive interview with CNN-IBN, the former ICC chief from Bangladesh has alleged that Srinivasan had single-handedly scripting India’s win over Bangladesh in the 2015 world cup match in March.
The man who is doing all these things in India, he is the man who could do all these in Melbourne.
– Mustafa Kamal to CNN-IBN
The Presentation Fiasco
Kamal claimed that Srinivasan was there for the presentation ceremony which was opposed by most members even in the ICC. In addition to that, he insisted that he give away the winners trophy after Australia won the 2015 world cup in Melbourne, despite being warned by Kamal that as per protocol, it is the ICC President and not the chairman who gives away the trophy. That move was not taken gracefully by anyone, including members in the ICC and experts, claimed Kamal.
...he has defamed himself and he has defamed this grand game of cricket and the institution itself. It should not have been like that. I could have done many things. I could have gone to the ground. I could have insisted on giving the trophy because I was the President and I knew my obligations. I could have made an objection there. But I didn’t want to go that way. I said, “Okay, fine, fair enough”.
– Mustafa Kamal to CNN-IBN
IndvsBan Quarterfinal Controversy
The former ICC President also revealed that his hue and cry about the quarterfinal match which consequently followed with his resignation didn’t go down well with people in Bangladesh. According to him, people in Bangladesh didn’t support his views because they thought he was bad-mouthing the Indian cricket team.
However, he claims that it was a misunderstanding and he never meant to accuse the Indian team to begin with. In fact, they weren’t even aware of what was happening behind ICC’s closed doors – Indian team played fair. However, Srinivasan and his team not only dishonoured the game of cricket that day but also insulted Bangladesh as a nation.
...Why on that day the spider camera was not there? Why on that day technology was not used? Why on that day the giant screen wasn’t used? Why? It was an ICC event. How can they say that in that match Bangladesh is losing and India is winning. In the next match, India were facing Australia. Why did they show that on the giant screen? Why didn’t they say “Jeetega Jeetega India jeetega, Australia haarega”. Could you say like that? So why against Bangladesh? And I was representing Bangladesh.
– Mustafa Kamal to CNN-IBN
...You tell me, is there any match played in Melbourne without a camera? Any match, name one, in the World Cup, was played [like that] between any countries, other than that match? Why? Why it was targeted like that? Who has targeted it? Because the man (Srinivasan) who is doing all these things in India, he is the man who could do all these in Melbourne.
– Mustafa Kamal to CNN-IBN
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