Fans of the Indo-Pak cricket rivalry are bound for some serious heartbreak, as the series is likely to be terminated even before it takes off next year. Due to serious geopolitical tensions between the two south Asian neighbours, the cricketing ties were called off earlier this year, as the BCCI remained staunch on boycotting Pakistan on all occasions. The Anurag Thakur headed body also approached the ICC to not group India with Pakistan in any of the ICC events.
Senior Pakistan bureaucrat and former PCB boss Najam Sethi was pessimistic about the proposed series between the two sides seeing the light of the day. Sethi admitted that chances of bilateral cricket ties between the two nations seemed bleak. Sethi though was certain that their proposed encounter in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy would go ahead as planned.
“I don’t think it will happen because of the current scenario which will take the time to change. But I also don’t think India will avoid playing us in the Champions Trophy next year in England,” said Sethi in his conversation with the press.
“But we will only agree to not playing on Indian soil. But if for example, India agrees to matches with us on a neutral venue of our choice, which we host, then we will play them,” he added. “They will have to play against us at a venue of our choice as we will be hosting any such series,” Sethi further said.
Sethi went on to say that it would be a financial disaster if India boycotted Pakistan in ICC events. “Look if there is no India and Pakistan match in an ICC event, then financially it will hurt everyone including the ICC and I don’t see that happening since both countries get shares from the world body,” he concluded.