DUBAI-Ehsan Mani, the former Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), has expressed his worries about the future of international cricket following the revelation that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will receive a significant portion of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) $3 billion media rights deal for 2024-2027.
Under the new revenue distribution model, the BCCI is slated to receive 38.5 percent of the net surplus earnings from the ICC, a substantial increase compared to their current 22 percent share in the 2015-2023 deal, according to ESPNcricinfo.
In an exclusive interview with Forbes, Mani, who served as the ICC President from 2003 to 2006 and stepped down from the PCB in 2021, criticized the proposed model, stating, “The proposed revenue distribution model will be giving the most money to the country that needs it the least, which makes no sense. I think it’s very unfortunate. There’s no strategic thinking about the development of the global game. There’s no vision.”
The former ICC chief emphasized the need for cricket to expand beyond its traditional base and reduce its reliance on India. He stated, “It only takes one downtown in an economic cycle for the ICC members to be affected. There is far too much reliance on India.”
He further suggested that the United States should be the country to develop in order to achieve a truly global game. “I would have put $20-30 million into the U.S. You also need to grow the game in Africa; that’s the future. I think the global game (Associates) should have been allocated at least 30 percent (instead of 11 percent). That’s the only way to globalize the game.”
Mani also called for financial parity among the 12 full members of the ICC, advocating for a fair distribution of resources rather than favoring India. “You have to give countries enough resources to not only develop their players but to pay them a fair amount, especially with the IPL and other T20 leagues targeting players,” he explained.
He emphasized that India’s market brings in significant revenue but highlighted that the benefits extend beyond the Indian governing body, stating, “It’s not the BCCI (India’s governing body). There are benefits to Indian companies to advertise in the ICC events and worldwide. India is not playing on its own; they are playing against other members. It’s a two-way street.”
Expressing disappointment with the lack of resistance to India’s dominance, Mani remarked, “Unfortunately, there’s no appetite for countries to stand up to India. The governance review, which was discussed when I was on board, has gone quiet. I don’t think there should be more than 12 board members, and at least seven of them should be independent directors. The directors of the ICC need to stand up and look at where they are taking this game. They are guardians of the international game. They don’t act like that sometimes,” he concluded.