ICC must find lasting solution to India-Pakistan issue
There is more than just déja vu in how this story is unfolding. Though it is not official yet, there are multiple reports indicating India has written to the International Cricket Council underlining a reluctance to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy next year. The ICC, in turn, has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board. This is not new—India has not travelled to Pakistan for any cricket tournament since 2008, when we had gone over for the Asia Cup. But Pakistan did travel to India for the ODI World Cup in 2023.
As recently as the Asia Cup last year, India refused to play in Pakistan and the hosts were forced to accept a hybrid hosting model where India played their matches in Sri Lanka. The PCB is crying foul now and has said that this means India are not honouring the Future Tours Programme (FTP). Cricket, once again, has been drawn into the sphere of politics.
What makes this decision a bit baffling is that many sportspersons in other disciplines have travelled to Pakistan and vice versa. But when it comes to cricket, not just the BCCI, but the government also does not want to take any risk. More than security, it’s about geopolitics—something even the ICC knows about. But things should have been sorted out after the Asia Cup fiasco in 2023.
With just about 100 days left to the Champions Trophy, the tournament has been plunged into another needless controversy. Under the current circumstances, it looks unlikely that India would reconsider its decision. BCCI has apparently proposed a hybrid model once again; PCB has not agreed to it. It is also about revenues—India-Pakistan matches are the most revenue-generating ones in the world.
The PCB would not want to miss the chance to host one. Things might get more complicated when BCCI secretary Jay Shah takes over as the ICC chair on December 1; so he would likely want the decision to be made earlier. With India’s financial clout in the sport, things are likely to go in their favour. Perhaps it’s time for the ICC to rewrite its policies for nations that do not honour FTPs. The two countries’ cricket boards and other stakeholders must find a solution to avoid such a situation.