‘No appetite to stand up to India’: Former ICC president slams new revenue model

Former PCB Chairman, Ehsan Mani, who was International Cricket Council (ICC) president from 2003-06, has criticized the new proposed financial model by the ICC, according to which, the BCCI will receive the largest share of revenue, accounting for approximately 40% of the ICC's net surplus earnings for the next four-year commercial cycle.

Between 2024-27, the BCCI is expected to make around US$ 230 million annually, which accounts for 38.5% of the ICC's total yearly revenue of US$ 600 million.

"(Proposed revenue distribution model) will be giving the most money to the country that needs it the least, which makes no sense," Mani told Forbes.

"I think it's very unfortunate. There's no strategic thinking about the development of the global game. There's no vision. 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 added.

Mani expressed concern over the influence that India's cricket market wields over the sport's governing body. He stated that the Indian market brings in a significant amount of revenue, and it is not just the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that benefits from this. Indian companies also benefit from advertising during ICC events, and worldwide exposure.

Mani's point is that while India is a major contributor to the revenue generated by the sport, it is not the only country playing international cricket. Other member nations also participate, and they should not be ignored. He argued that the ICC needs to ensure that the interests of all its members are protected, not just those of India.

"The Indian market brings in a lot of money...it's not the BCCI (India's governing body). There are benefits to the Indian companies to advertise in the ICC events and worldwide. India are not playing on its own, they are playing against other members. It's a two-way street," Mani said.

"Unfortunately there's no appetite for countries to stand up to India. 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.