field (winning three major tournaments—the 2024 T20 World Cup, 2025 Champions Trophy, and 2025 T20 Asia Cup—in the last 16 months) and off it, where they hold significant administrative power.
Now, former ICC Match Referee Chris Broad has made an explosive statement, alleging that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) exerts undue influence over the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The Slow Over Rate Saga
In a recent interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph, Broad recounted an incident from an unnamed match where he was the referee. He stated that the Indian team was significantly behind the required over rate, which should have resulted in a penalty.
“At the end of the match, India was three or four overs behind. They were supposed to be fined for the slow over rate. I was called and told to be sympathetic because it was India,” Broad told the British media outlet. “I thought about it, and then somehow we managed to pull out some extra time to bring the over rate below the fine limit.”
The Ganguly Incident
Broad claims a similar incident occurred in the very next match. When Sourav Ganguly, who was allegedly ignoring instructions to speed up play, came under scrutiny, Broad called the relevant authority for guidance.
“The same thing happened in the next match. When Sourav Ganguly was not following the instructions to finish the game quickly, I called to ask, ‘What should I do?’ I was told, ‘Just fine Ganguly.'”
“Indian Cricket Council” and Financial Clout
The notion of the ICC being controlled by India is not new; the ICC is often sarcastically called the “Indian Cricket Council” on social media. This perception is rooted in economics: the BCCI receives the largest share of the ICC’s revenue. In the 2024-2027 commercial cycle, the BCCI is set to earn an average of over ₹2,500 crores annually, accounting for 38.5% of the ICC’s total revenue.
Broad believes the financial leverage allows the BCCI to exert unethical control. He stated in his interview:
“Vince van der Bijl (the former ICC Umpire Manager) used to help us out since he was involved in cricket. But after he left, the management became fragile. India now has all the money. They control the ICC in various ways. I’m happy not to be involved anymore because the organization has become much more political.”
Broad’s Departure
Broad served as an ICC Match Referee from 2003 until February 2024, overseeing 123 Tests, 361 ODIs, and 138 T20s. He told The Telegraph that despite wanting to continue, the governing body did not renew his contract. He also revealed that he had previously been reprimanded by the ICC for sharing a meme on social media during the 2023 Ashes, which featured his son, Stuart Broad, getting David Warner out.
Broad is one of the most experienced match referees, with only Ranjan Madugalle (820 matches) and Jeff Crowe (684 matches) having officiated more international games.
