ISLAMABAD: Former England cricketer and ICC match referee Chris Broad has claimed he was once pressured to “go easy” on India, alleging that cricket’s governing body has become increasingly political under India’s influence.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Broad said the International Cricket Council (ICC) had changed significantly over the years, with India’s financial and political weight influencing key decisions. He recalled an incident where he was urged to overlook India’s slow over rate during a match.

“Yes, that happened,” Broad said. “India were three or four overs down at the end of a game, which meant a fine. I got a phone call saying, ‘be lenient, find some time because it’s India’. So we did. The very next game, the same thing happened with Sourav Ganguly, and I was told, ‘just do him’. So, there were politics involved right from the start.”

Broad, who served as a match referee for more than two decades, said he feels “fortunate” to be out of the system now.

“India got all the money and have now taken over the ICC in many ways. I’m pleased I’m not around because it’s a much more political position now than it ever has been,” he said.

He added that match officials today must either be “politically savvy or keep their heads down” due to the growing pressure within international cricket.

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ICC under India’s influence, says former match referee Chris Broad