Many boards have offered the proposal to both the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for organizing a T20I series between the two arch-rivals India and Pakistan, both of whom don’t meet each other outside ICC tournaments, due to their poor political relationships.
Whether it’s Melbourne in Australia, Kennington Oval in London, Johannesburg in South Africa, or even Nassau County in New York, the fans of both India and Pakistan have displayed their passion and love affair for the game in any format, whenever these two teams have met each other.
Even in the recent Legends League cricket at Edgbaston in Birmingham, the stands were full when both these sides locked horns against each other, which has increased the desire of other cricketing boards to engage these two sides in their country for the bilateral series in the shortest format of the game.
‘Our main agenda right now…’- Sources drop bombshell on T20I series between India and Pakistan
In the past, Australia gave the offer of hosting the T20I series between India and Pakistan, and now with this huge craze between the blue brigade and the green brigade fans, even for the ‘Legends League’ tournament, the England and Wales Cricket Board have given the same offer.
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However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday, after the annual conference in Colombo, stated that no such suggestions have been put forward from their side to be engaged in a bilateral T20I series against India at a neutral venue.
The board also threw light on their primary attention and the biggest challenge at the moment of directing a seamless execution of the upcoming edition of the Champions Trophy at home, towards the start of this year.
‘There is no such proposal on the table or under consideration because right now the biggest challenge for us is to organize the Champions Trophy in a befitting manner and we also have a packed international schedule.’ The PTI was quoted as saying by a highly reliable source.
Pakistan is due to play their home season, with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh, before hosting England for a three-match Test series in later Autumn. At the end of the red-ball series, they will fly to Australia and Zimbabwe for the white-ball formats, before being involved in an all-format series in South Africa.
On their return, they will host West Indies in a Test series at home, before participating in a tri-series along with New Zealand and the Proteas. Just around a week later, they will host the Champions Trophy, after which the glorious Pakistan Super League (PSL) will start.
Sources have confirmed that there were two areas where the Pakistan Cricket Board put most of the attention during the ICC meeting in Colombo. Firstly, they aimed to secure the approval of the upcoming season of the Champions Trophy budget, while secondly, they wanted guarantees from the ICC and the BCCI that the Indian team would travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.
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‘That is our main agenda right now. So, there is no question of contemplating any bilateral venture with India.’ The source noted.
Last time, India made a trip to Pakistan, the year was in 2009 for the Asia Cup, after which the green brigade came to India thrice- during the bilateral series in 2012, the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup, and the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Uncertainty looms over Rohit Sharma-led side’s participation in this upcoming tournament, with rumors being circulated of India’s preference of playing their games outside Pakistan- either in Dubai or Sri Lanka.