Champions Trophy tug of war shows India's 'stranglehold' on cricket

Pakistan's loss of several Champions Trophy matches underlines India's dominance of cricket -- and that "stranglehold" could tighten with an Indian now heading the global governing body.

The 50-over tournament returns in February after an eight-year absence but India's longstanding refusal to tour arch-rival Pakistan forced the hosts to concede some of their duties.

India will instead play matches on neutral ground, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said Thursday following weeks of wrangling, a decision that reflects the ease with which India can force its will on the game.

Under the agreement, Pakistan will also play in upcoming ICC tournaments hosted by India in other countries, yet to be decided.

"Any market or industry overpoweringly dependent on a single competitor will be distorted accordingly," journalist and author Gideon Haigh of the Cricket Et Al website told AFP.

"The same applies to sport unless it has a strong independent governance," he added. "This, cricket obviously does not have."

This month Indian cricket boss Jay Shah took up his role as the latest chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) -- the third Indian to lead the global governing body in the past decade.

At 36 he is the youngest person ever to ever serve the role.

"Jay Shah's move to the ICC entrenches India's stranglehold on the game," Wisden Almanack editor Lawrence Booth told AFP.

"Everyone recognises their financial contribution to cricket, but it is important now that Shah exercises his latest position of power with responsibility, and ensures the sport as a whole is looked after."

Instead, Shah's ascension has coincided with the second instance of Pakistan being forced to partially renounce its hosting responsibilities in as many years.
A similar outcome followed a running dispute last year over the hosting of the 50-over Asia Cup, where India's refusal to play across the border forced drastic changes to the tournament months before it began.

Pakistan eventually had to abandon hosting rights to most of the matches, with India playing their fixtures in Sri Lanka, where they won the final.