No Indo-Pak contest in T20 World Cup could cause losses to the tune of USD 250 million
New Delhi (PTI): An India-Pakistan fixture in an ICC event generates revenue to the tune of a staggering "USD 250 million (over Rs 2200 crore)", as per some estimates and the absence of the cash-cow fixture from the upcoming T20 World Cup is certain to cause heavy losses to all stakeholders.
Such is the pull of the contest between the arch-rivals, who only play in multi team competitions due to the tense relations between the two countries, that the ICC places them in the same pool in every world event.
On Sunday, the Pakistan government announced its team's boycott of the marquee clash in Colombo on February 15.
If Pakistan remain adamant, they would risk losing millions in revenues and a no-show would cause significant financial damage to the ICC coffers and India media rights holder JioStar which is already trying to renegotiate a USD 3 billion deal with the world body.
The host broadcaster could incur advertisement revenue losses in the range of Rs 200 crore to Rs 250 crore for a marquee game whose 10 second commercial slot can cost up to Rs 40 lakh.
While a walkover would hand full points to India, the ICC retains the authority to impose financial penalties on the PCB.
A former ICC and PCB communications head, Sami-ul-Hasan Burney, summed up the magnitude of the money riding on just one game.
"As regards the sanctions or the losses, as I said, the one match is costing USD 250 million (everything accounted for not just broadcaster's loss). Pakistan's annual revenue is USD 35.5 million, so there is a big, big difference," he told PTI.
The Sydney Morning Herald quoted industry sources with knowledge of confidential negotiations on the costs involved in the game with a billion plus audience.
Each game between India and Pakistan has an estimated value of around USD 250 million, it stated.
The tone and tenor of ICC's statement following the Pakistan government announcement also underlined the undisputed value of the contest.
"This position of selective participation is difficult to reconcile with the fundamental premise of a global sporting event where all qualified teams are expected to compete on equal terms per the event schedule," the ICC said.
"ICC tournaments are built on sporting integrity, competitiveness, consistency and fairness, and selective participation undermines the spirit and sanctity of the competitions."
Amid the drama, Pakistan left for Colombo to play its other games in the showpiece starting February 7.
With the ICC, PCB and BCCI agreeing to a hybrid model for the India-Pakistan games till 2027, the Pakistan board would find it tough to justify the selective pullout.
It all started with Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman's removal from the IPL on BCCI instructions, leading to the withdrawal of the national team from ICC event co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
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Assam govt moves SC against anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera
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New Delhi (PTI): The Assam government has moved the Supreme Court against the Telangana High Court order granting one-week transit anticipatory bail to Congress leader Pawan Khera in a case registered against him for levelling allegations against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife.
The petition was filed on Sunday through advocate Shuvodeep Roy and is likely to be taken up for hearing this week.
On April 10, the high court granted one-week transit anticipatory bail to Khera.
The high court gave him a week's time to file an application before the court concerned and granted him relief with certain conditions.
"Without expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, this court is of the view that the petitioner has made out a case for grant of limited transit anticipatory bail, as his apprehension of arrest appears to be reasonable and supported by material on record," the high court had said in its order.
The conditions were that the petitioner shall be released on bail in the event of arrest on his executing a personal bond for Rs one lakh with two sureties for the like sum each, cooperate with the investigation and make himself available for interrogation as and when required by the Investigating Officer and that he shall not leave the country without prior permission of the competent Court.
The conditions further include that the petitioner shall, within the stipulated period, approach the competent jurisdictional court in Assam and seek appropriate relief and he, being a public figure, shall exercise restraint in making any further public statements in relation to the subject matter of the present case, which may prejudice the investigation, the order said.
The Congress leader on April 5 had alleged that the Assam CM's wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, has multiple passports and foreign property, which were not declared in the chief minister's election affidavit for the April 9 Assembly polls in that state.
The case against Khera was registered at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station under several sections of the BNS, including 175 (false statement in connection with an election), 35 (Right of private defence of the body and of property) and 318 (cheating).
Khera, who approached the high court on April 7, showed his residential address in Hyderabad. He had requested the high court to release him on bail in the event of his arrest.
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