Praising the International Cricket Council for introducing the Test Championship, bowling legend Waqar Younis has said the ‘whole thing’ will not be helped if India and Pakistan do not resume bilateral ties.
Earlier this week, the governing body of the game agreed in-principle to stage the Test Championship which will take place after the 2019 World Cup. The tournament will see the top nine teams playing six series – three at home and three away, and the top two teams in April 2021 will lock horns in the championship final in England in June of that year.
But while many feel that the latest idea will bring more context to the bilateral ties and Test cricket, some issues are still not cleared, and one of them is what will happen if India does not resume bilateral ties with Pakistan. Both the countries have suspended the bilateral ties due to political tensions at the time being. They last played a full-fledged series in 2007 when Pakistan visited India. Pakistan also visited India in 2007 for a short limited-overs series but except that the two arch-rivals have played against each other in only ICC tournaments and Asia Cup.
“Test Championship is a good idea. They have to probably think hard how to go about it because with Pakistan not playing India; that is not going to the help the whole thing. If these two countries play each other it will not only help the Test Championship but also help the relations between the two countries,” he was quoted as saying by Gulf News.
The former Pakistan skipper went on to say that the status of the Test Championship will be undermined if India and Pakistan do not play against each other.
“You cannot really call this a Test championship if the top two teams are not playing against each other. How can you consider the others as champions or as No.1 and No.2 without these two teams not playing against each other as they are the two top teams,” Waqar said.
Waqar further said that India should consider playing against Pakistan in neutral venues. Pakistan has shifted their base in UAE since the terrorist attack on Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore in 2009, but Waqar said India could also play against his country in England or Australia.
“If India want to play Pakistan, they can even play them in England or in Australia. It doesn’t matter where you play though the UAE is home for Pakistan.”
Waqar said he was surprised to see ICC coming up with a new ODI league which will see top 13 teams battling it out to earn the direct qualifications for the World Cup. It will be held between 2020-21. However, after the 2023 World Cup, the two-year duration will be converted to a three-year league. Each side will play eight series during that period with each series having more than three matches.
“I am surprised whether we have the time for such a league. We have got World Cup, Champions Trophy, T20 World Cup and so many ICC tournaments and so, I don’t think there is any room for it. We are trying to build this Test championship because we don’t want Test cricket to suffer. We feel that Test cricket, if not held in England or Australia, it is suffering in other parts of the world,” he said.
“If ICC can bring everyone on board and play each other, people will get interested. There should be a point system where teams can go up and down over two years and then you will know exactly which team is the best,” he added.