India's participation to be known by May 7

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to name the team for the ICC Champions Trophy soon as its boycott threat has petered out.

Many BCCI members have expressed displeasure over the confrontational approach of the senior cricket officials who attended the International Cricket Council (ICC) meetings in Dubai and suffered a loss of face.

Top Indian cricket board officials had claimed on Wednesday they will invoke the Members Participation Agreement (MPA) and pull out of the Champions Trophy, starting in England on June 1. They had even threatened legal action after the ICC carried out a rollback of revenue and administrative proposals, leaving BCCI isolated.

"We will hold the SGM but the view of the members is that we should announce the team first. Anyway, there is bound to be opposition to the move to pull out. It will be a divided house," a senior BCCI official told Hindustan Times. "In fact, most want to avoid confrontation. We can't afford to pull out, for the simple reason we will be penalised. The penalty will be to the tune of 2,000 crore.

"And what if the board is suspended for this? Foreign boards can also threaten to pull players out of the IPL. And what if they don't keep a window for IPL? It will totally be BCCI's loss," the BCCI functionary said.

Later yesterday, Vinod Rai, head of Committee of Administrators (COA), said India's Champions Trophy participation will be known only after the BCCI SGM on May 7 and they are ready for all "possible scenarios". 

"It is a part of the game. Let it unfold slowly, let's see how it progresses, what happens," said Rai while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a book signing.

Rai however refused to answer whether COA will overrule SGM decision if they decide to pull-out of Champions Trophy.

'READY TO PLAY WITHOUT INDIA'

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan, meanwhile, said that most countries are ready to go ahead with the Champions Trophy even if India pull out.

“Yes India has strongly opposed the resolution at the ICC meeting. However, it received support only from Sri Lanka while the rest were in favour of getting rid of the Big Three formula,” Shaharyar was quoted by The Dawn as saying.

"India has warned the ICC about its likely reaction which may come in the form of a Champions Trophy boycott but let me clear it that it will not work as most of the member countries are ready to play without India. And in that case [India boycotting Champions Trophy], West Indies or any other team could be included in the fray by the ICC.”