The PCB says Palestine players did not violate the code of conduct

Amidst protests that have erupted around the globe over the devastation in Gaza, the Pakistani cricket team has expressed their unwavering support and offered prayers for all Palestinians who suffer as a result of Israel’s actions, in the midst of their participation in the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup in India.

It is worth mentioning, however, that since India has expressed solidarity with Israel on this issue, several Indian fans and cricket experts have expressed concerns about the players’ continuous support for Palestine, and have asked the International Cricket Council, which is the governing body of the sport, if such gestures are permitted during the tournament.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected the objections over the players’ conduct on Wednesday by stating that the team’s expression of solidarity was a personal decision made by the team.

On Wednesday, the Pakistani national team showed its solidarity with the people and children of Palestine by posting a picture of the Palestinian flag on their individual X, formerly known as Twitter, accounts.

A few days ago, Pakistan’s wicket-keeper batsman, Mohammad Rizwan, dedicated his team’s victory over Sri Lanka to his “brothers and sisters in Gaza”.

In the meantime, Indian fans and cricket experts have used the team’s support for Palestine to create controversies, claiming that the national team violated the rules of the International Cricket Council by supporting Palestine.

ICC and PCB sources further added that the players are allowed to express whatever they want to, and that the players have not violated any code of conduct by the ICC or PCB in the process.

In Gaza, the Ministry of Health has reported that over 3,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s shelling of the territory and over 13,000 others have been injured as a result.

It has been reported that the Pakistani government has categorically condemned the Israeli atrocities and called for an immediate cessation of the bombardment, which has even spared hospitals and schools, expressing solidarity with its Palestinian brothers and sisters.

It should be noted that even cricket legends from Pakistan who are no longer part of the team showed their support for Palestine.

As well as that, Pakistan is set to face Australia tomorrow (Friday) at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, following a few days of rest.