Cricket Australia has restated its openness to hosting a bilateral series between India and Pakistan, contingent upon mutual agreement between the BCCI and PCB to engage in future matches. This reaffirmation underscores Cricket Australia’s commitment to fostering cricketing relations between the two neighboring nations. Such a move could potentially pave the way for renewed sporting ties and contribute positively to the cricketing landscape, offering fans the opportunity to witness thrilling encounters between these traditional rivals on the cricket field.
Australia’s Upcoming Fixture:
In November of this year, both India and Pakistan’s men’s cricket teams are set to tour Australia simultaneously, as Cricket Australia (CA) recently unveiled the schedule for Australia’s upcoming home summer. Pakistan is slated to participate in a series comprising three ODIs and T20Is before India commences a five-Test series, commencing just four days later on November 22.
However, despite the convergence of these teams in Australia, there exists no viable prospect of bilateral matches between India and Pakistan as part of these tours. It’s worth noting that the last bilateral series between the two nations occurred during the 2012-13 season, with encounters now restricted to global ICC events, marking a significant hiatus in direct cricketing engagements between the arch-rivals.
CA’s chief executive Nick Hockley’s Desire:
Following the exhilarating encounter between India and Pakistan during the 2022 T20 World Cup at the MCG, where a staggering 90,293 spectators witnessed a thrilling last-ball showdown, Cricket Australia (CA), along with the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) – the operators of the MCG, and the Victorian government, expressed keen interest in hosting bilateral matches between the two teams at the iconic stadium.
CA’s chief executive, Nick Hockley, emphasized this aspiration during the announcement of Australia’s home schedule at the MCG on Wednesday. This reiterated desire underscores the significant impact and allure of matches involving India and Pakistan, highlighting the potential for future engagements that could captivate cricket enthusiasts and further bolster the sport’s global appeal.
He said, “I think anyone that was here for the India-Pakistan game at the MCG, it will go down as one of the most memorable occasions, not just sporting occasions, that I’ve ever been to. So people want to see that contest. We would love to host that if the opportunity arose. If we can play a role, we’d love to play a role.
He also said, “We’re so excited to host Pakistan. We’re so excited to host India. If we can help, that’s great. But I think in many ways, that’s a bilateral series. It’s really for others to make that happen.”
CA’s head of scheduling Peter Roach’s Statement:
Peter Roach, CA’s head of scheduling, acknowledged on Tuesday the potential interest in hosting a tri-series, a format last seen with India and Pakistan during the 1999-2000 season, instead of solely focusing on neutral bilateral series. However, he pointed out that the current Future Tours Programme (FTP) lacks space for such arrangements. Despite the desire for innovative formats like tri-series, logistical constraints within the existing schedule pose challenges to their implementation at present.
He said, “We haven’t got a tri-series in the FTP. Going forward we’re always interested in opportunities for matches and contests that will engage our fans. It’s fair to say every country in the world would love to see India and Pakistan compete in their country.
He added, “We’re on record as saying we’re one of those countries that has asked the question. There’s no room in the schedules to do that at the moment. We’ll keep talking to them in any other opportunities that arise, but in this specific example there are not going to be any changes to the schedule.”
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