'Boycotting any country emanating terror not in ICC's hands'

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday said boycotting any country emanating terror is not in its hands, with reference to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) letter appealing to the international cricket body to sever ties with countries backing terrorism.

"They cannot boycott any country which is emanating terror. It should be done by the government. It is not our hand," an ICC source told ANI.

The Indian cricket board had urged the global governing body of cricket to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates, in a clear reference to Pakistan.

BCCI made the appeal in a letter to the ICC against the backdrop of Pulwama terror attack.

It referred to the February 14 terror strike and said, "Most countries from which the members of the ICC hail (including the UK) have strongly condemned this terrorist attack and expressed solidarity with India.

The letter was sent by the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) on behalf of BCCI.

"BCCI urges the cricketing community to sever ties with countries from which terrorism emanates," it said.

Although the letter did not name any country from which "terrorism emanates", the reference was clearly to Pakistan from where terror groups have been launching attacks in India.