London
\nFormer ICC match referee Chris Broad has revealed that he was once instructed to favour India by showing leniency on a slow-over rate penalty.
\nBroad, who oversaw 622 men\u2019s international matches across formats, disclosed in an interview with The Telegraph, describing it as a startling example of India\u2019s influence in cricket.
\nThe former England cricketer did not specifically mention the match, in which India were around four overs behind schedule and were on the verge of being penalised, but he received a phone call and was instructed to show leniency with the team.
\n\u201cIndia were three, four overs down at the end of a game, so it constituted a fine. I got a phone call saying, \u2018Be lenient, find some time because it\u2019s India\u2019. And it\u2019s like, right, OK. So we had to find some time, bring it down below the threshold,\u201d Broad stated.
\n\u201cThe very next game, the same thing happened. He [Sourav Ganguly] didn\u2019t listen to any of the hurry-ups and so I phoned and said, \u2018What do you want me to do now?\u2019 and I was told \u2018just do him\u2019,\u201d he added.
\nBroad, who served as the ICC match referee until February 2024, further shared that he was \u2018very happy to carry on\u2019, but his contract was not renewed by the apex body.
\n\u201cI was very happy to carry on,\u201d Broad remarked. \u201cBut for 20 years, I dodged a lot of bullets, both politically and physically. I look back and I think, \u2018you know, 20 years is quite a long time to be doing that job\u2019,\u201d Broad continued.
\nThe former referee then went on to claim that the management became \u2018a lot weaker\u2019 against India\u2019s financial influence after the departure of former South Africa cricketer Vince van der Bijl as the ICC umpires manager.
\n\u201cI think we were supported by Vince van der Bijl (ICC umpires manager) while he was in position because he came from a cricketing background, but once he left, the management became a lot weaker. India got all the money and has now taken over the ICC, so in many ways,\u201d he claimed.
\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased I\u2019m not around because it\u2019s a much more political position now than it ever has been,\u201d Broad concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
London Former ICC match referee Chris Broad has revealed that he was once instructed to favour India by showing leniency on a slow-over rate penalty. Broad, who oversaw 622 men\u2019s international matches across formats, disclosed in an interview with The Telegraph, describing it as a startling example of India\u2019s influence in cricket. The former England […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":511329,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-511314","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n