Former Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal slams ICC over BCCI's dominance

Published - 12 Jan 2026, 18:59 IST | Updated - 12 Jan 2026, 19:11 IST

Former Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal has slammed the International Cricket Council (ICC), accusing the global governing body of being overly influenced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Speaking at a public event in Karachi, Ajmal questioned the relevance of the ICC, claiming it has failed to function as an independent authority capable of taking unbiased decisions in the interest of world cricket.

Ajmal’s comments come amid ongoing tensions around India-Pakistan cricketing ties and venue-related disputes in ICC tournaments. The former spinner openly criticised the ICC’s leadership structure, particularly under current chairman Jay Shah, a former BCCI secretary. According to Ajmal, the ICC’s alleged inability to act independently shows the growing dominance of the Indian board, the wealthiest and most powerful cricketing body in the world.

Ajmal alleged that the ICC has become helpless when it comes to enforcing decisions on India, pointing to the Champions Trophy 2025 as an example. India refused to travel to Pakistan, citing security concerns, leading the ICC to relocate India’s matches to Dubai while other teams travelled between Pakistan and the UAE.

“If the ICC can’t enforce its decisions on the Indian board, then its very existence is unnecessary. There is no logical reason for India not to play in Pakistan but the ICC is helpless because it is dominated by Indians now," he said.

The former spinner also claimed that several Test-playing nations privately share his concerns but are unwilling to voice them publicly due to political and financial pressures.

India’s refusal to tour Pakistan is rooted in long-standing political tensions and government restrictions on bilateral sporting ties. As a result, India-Pakistan matches have been limited to ICC events at neutral venues. Following India’s decision, Pakistan has also chosen not to travel to India for future world events, with its matches scheduled at neutral locations such as Sri Lanka during the 2026 T20 World Cup.