LONDON: Former International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Chris Broad has claimed that senior officials once pressured him to show leniency toward the Indian cricket team, alleging that political and financial influence has compromised fairness in international cricket.

In an interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph, Broad said that during one match, India were four overs behind schedule — a situation that normally attracts fines for maintaining a slow over rate.

However, he revealed that he received a phone call instructing him to “find a way” to avoid penalizing the team, because, as he was told, “this is India.”

“I was asked to go easy,” Broad recalled. “So I made adjustments in the time calculations to ensure no penalty was imposed.”

He added that in the very next match, then-Indian captain Sourav Ganguly repeated the same offense and ignored officials’ warnings. “When I asked what action should be taken this time, I was told to punish only Ganguly,” he said.

Broad argued that cricket has become increasingly politicized, claiming that major decisions are often influenced by financial considerations rather than sporting integrity. “There’s too much politics in the game now,” he stated. “India holds most of the money and has practically taken control of the ICC.”

The former referee said he feels relieved not to be part of the ICC’s match officials panel anymore, saying the position has become “far too political.”

The ICC has not yet responded to Broad’s allegations, which have sparked renewed debate about the independence of the sport’s governing body and the growing dominance of financially powerful boards.