DUBAI: The International Cricket Council has dismissed a compensation claim by Pakistan over India’s refusal to honor an agreement to play bilateral series.
“Following a three-day hearing and having considered detailed oral and written submissions, the Dispute Panel has dismissed the PCB’s claim against the BCCI,” the ICC said in a statement.
The decision cannot be appealed.
The dispute centered on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) according to which India and Pakistan had agreed to play six bilateral series between 2015-2023, four of which would be hosted by Pakistan.
The PCB had filed a compensation claim of $70 million.
But India refused to play Pakistan citing the Indian government’s objections due to strained relations with Pakistan.
According to the agreement, the six tours would include up to 14 Tests, 30 one-days and 12 Twenty20 internationals.
The MoU was a reward to Pakistan for backing the “Big Three” plan according to which India, Australia and England had the major share of power and revenues of world cricket.
However, that arrangement fell apart and the BCCI refused to accept the MoU as a legal document, dismissing it as a “piece of paper.”
India cut off cricket ties with Pakistan after the 2008 terrorist attacks on Mumbai which left more than 160 people killed.
The two sides have not played a full series since Pakistan’s tour of India in 2007.
Pakistan toured India for a limited-overs series with two Twenty20s and three one-day internationals from December 2012-January 2013 but full ties were not restored.
After negotiations about the proposed tours failed, the PCB filed a notice of dispute with the ICC resolution committee in November last year, claiming the 70 million dollars in compensation.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which has reportedly spent one million dollars fighting the case, described the decision as “disappointing.”
“Following a lengthy dispute resolution process, the announcement of the decision has come as a disappointment,” it said.
“PCB will determine its future course of action in this regard after detailed deliberations and consultations with its stakeholders.”
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) welcomed the decision, saying it had always maintained that the MoU was non-binding and that it “merely expressed an intention to play.”
“The BCCI wholeheartedly welcomes the decision of the Dispute Panel. The BCCI will now move the Dispute Panel to recover its legal cost from the PCB,” it said in a press release.
Cricket world body rejects Pakistan compensation claim over India
Cricket world body rejects Pakistan compensation claim over India
John Cena, WWE superstar widely admired in Saudi Arabia, retires from in-ring competition
- Cena was one of a few WWE superstars such as Hulk Hogan who were admired in Saudi Arabia and the region
- His career spanned more than two decades on top of the sports entertainment landscape
RIYADH: John Cena officially retired from in-ring competition on Dec. 13 after competing his final match at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in Washington, DC.
Cena, a 17-time world champion, tapped out to a sleeper hold after a brutal 24-minute match with rising Austrian superstar Gunther, a result which stunned and disappointed some fans but served to elevate Gunther’s status as a dominant force in the sport. Cena would not have left the world of sports entertainment without the long-standing tradition of paying it forward to elevate talent on the way out of the business.
The legendary superstar first announced his plan to retire from being an active member of the WWE roster in July of 2024 during the Money in the Bank Premium Live Event. Cena said that 2025 would be his last as an active in-ring performer and he embarked on a year-long farewell tour.
Cena was one of a select few of WWE Superstars such as Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin who were at the forefront of fans’ admiration in Saudi Arabia and considered as unofficial ambassadors to American sports, entertainment and pop culture.
This admiration only amplified after March 2018 through the partnership deal between the General Entertainment Authority and the WWE for an exclusive 10-year contract to hold multiple events in the Kingdom.
This partnership was a catalyst for Cena to hold a special place in the hearts of fans in the Kingdom. He has competed in three significant matches in Saudi Arabia. His first match in the Kingdom was during the Greatest Royal Rumble in April of 2018 where he defeated Triple H in the opening match of the event, which was also the first major WWE show in Saudi Arabia under the partnership.
His second match was in 2023 during November’s Crown Jewel where Cena lost to Solo Sikoa after a brutal match in which he endured nine Samoan Spikes from the rising Samoan star. In his final appearance in Saudi Arabia, John Cena defeated his long-time rival CM Punk to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event of the Night of Champions held last June in Riyadh.
Since the partnership began, major events such as Crown Jewel, Elimination Chamber, and King & Queen of the Ring have been held in the Kingdom. The partnership also includes the Royal Rumble in January 2026 and WrestleMania 43 in 2027 — the first times these events have been held outside of North America.
Cena began an illustrious career that spanned 26 years and started in November 1999 before signing a developmental contract with the WWE in 2001. His first televised WWE match was against WWE Hall of Fame inductee and Olympic gold medalist and former world champion, Kurt Angle, in the June 27, 2002 edition of WWE’s blue-branded show SmackDown.
Cena’s introduction to the WWE fanbase started when he answered Angle’s open challenge and introduced himself as possessing “ruthless aggression” before slapping Angle and starting the match.
At WrestleMania 20 in 2004, Cena defeated Big Show in the opening match to win his first championship in WWE, the US Championship at Madison Square Garden. This marked Cena’s first WrestleMania appearance and the beginning of his significant championship collection, and was a pivotal moment in his career.
A year later in 2005, Cena defeated John Bradshaw Layfield at WrestleMania 21 for his first WWE championship, marking his official transition to top star.
Cena is a ten-time Slammy Award winner, and has headlined WrestleMania a record six times. Cena holds a record of 17-WWE World Champion wins (14 WWE Championship, three World Heavyweight Championship) under his belt, only surpassing Ric Flair's 16 reigns, a record Flair held for years.
Cena is a two-time Royal Rumble winner (2008, 2013) and a one-time Money in the Bank winner (2012). He is recognized as both a Triple Crown and Grand Slam champion, holding the US Championship five times, Intercontinental Championship once, WWE Tag Team Championship twice, with The Miz and David Otunga, and World Tag Team Championship twice with Dave Batista and The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels.
Cena became the face of the WWE brand over the past two decades. He also enjoyed the accolade of being the longest-reigning face of the WWE brand before he transitioned to a part-time schedule around 2017 to focus on his acting career. He has built a significant career in film and philanthropy.
He holds the record for the most wishes granted by any celebrity for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with more than 650 wishes fulfilled. In 2005, he released the rap album “You Can’t See Me,” which debuted at No. 15 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
Cena has successfully transitioned to acting, with notable roles in films such as
“Trainwreck,” “Blockers,” “Bumblebee,” “F9,” and “The Suicide Squad” as the character Peacemaker, which was also spun off as a superhero series for HBO Max.
