BOMBAY, 26 September 2003 — He is mild-mannered and suave, but when it comes to expressing an opinion or giving a ruling, he is as firm and as assertive as his post demands.
That is Ehsan Mani, the president of the International Cricket Council.
He left a lasting impression, even as he won many hearts, during his brief visit to Bombay just a few days ago.
A Pakistani, who spends equal part of his time in England, was visiting India after a long gap to attend the ICC (Management) meeting at the Cricket Club of India.
Also attending the important meeting were representatives of all the ten Test-playing countries and a couple of associate members.
Accompanying Mani was former Pakistani captain Rameez Raja in his capacity as the CEO of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Both of them not only renewed their contacts with old acquaintances, but also made new friends.
Raja, ever so popular, first as a player and now as a commentator, recalled his previous visits and showed a pleasant surprise at the great changes that had taken place in what he described as one of his favorite cities.
Mani, a great friend of the BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya, showed that, while he was warm and friendly, he was not allowing that friendship to come in the way of acting impartially on matters faced by the ICC.
He was frank enough to state, “While I do not deny the great contribution that India and Dalmiya, in particular, have made in raising the finances of the ICC, I must be fair to all the parties concerned.”
He was referring to the settlement of India’s World Cup dues.
The marketing wing and the Global Cricket Consortium owe India $9 million.
The GCC is holding back the amount, as it claims that there have been some violations of the players’ contract.
India, on the other hand, reiterate that they have abided by the contracts right through the World Cup.
Apart from making some marginal changes in the existing World Cup format, the two-day ICC meeting in Bombay did not resolve anything of great consequence.
The major issue of World Cup accounts was conveniently postponed. But this is not to say that the visit of so many cricket dignitaries was not worth the while.
In fact their presence gave everyone an opportunity to exchange views so freely outside the meeting and that was helpful to the understanding of each other’s problems better.
Ehsan Mani used most of his time to make earnest pleas to resume cricketing ties between the two countries.
The Indian counterparts did likewise to assure the Pakistani guests of the unstinted support in their endeavor.
It may be no exaggeration to say that the possibility of this happening has been brought so much closer.
Mani left his ICC president’s garb and decided to take in the great metropolis.
He spent three days going around and meeting people. Apart from cricket, he showed great interest in the arts and social causes. He made it a point to visit the maidans (open grounds) of Bombay, which over the years have nurtured the pride of Bombay’s cricketing talent, some of them among the world’s best, like Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar.
He insisted on visiting the Shivaji Park ground which has given to India some great players.
By sheer coincidence, Mani even met the master-blaster’s mentor, Ramakant Achrekar and said: “Sir, I am indeed glad to be shaking your hands, for it is you who have produced a gem like Sachin Tendulkar.
“Turning around, he told his local guide, the nephew of CCI president, Raj Singh Dungarpur, “There are a great many people in Pakistan, especially the very young, who are yearning to see Tendulkar playing there.
It was four years ago that India and Pakistan played a Test match against each other and it seems like such a long time, even though the two have met in the shorter version of the game at several off-shore venues.
These days, not many cricketing persons from Pakistan visit India and vice versa.
But the two who came here last week, Ehsan Mani and Rameez Raja, promoted so much good will that it seems the renewal of cricketing ties is just a few months away.
And to think that they had come to India for the purpose of just attending an ICC meeting.
