The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Wednesday a revised format for the 2027 men's One Day International World Cup, which could potentially provide an extra fixture between arch-rivals India and Pakistan.
Although the tournament in South Africa next year will retain the competition format involving 14 teams, the three lowest-ranked teams will now go through a preliminary round. Only one of these will advance to the main group of 12 teams.
The main group will be divided into two pools of six teams, and instead of the former 'Super Six' round, a new 'Super Seven' stage will be introduced. Notably, there will no longer be quarter-finals in the tournament, which removes the added tension and interest associated with an extra playoff round.
Nevertheless, the increase in the number of teams in the group stage raises the probability of an additional match between India and Pakistan. The match between these two nations is the most lucrative in sports due to the huge interest in cricket on the subcontinent, bringing significant broadcasting rights and commercial revenue to the ICC.
However, India and Pakistan are currently not meeting outside of ICC events, as political tensions between the neighboring countries effectively prohibit them from playing each other by decision of their respective governments. The last bilateral series India played in Pakistan was in 2006 (Test and ODI series).
In its statement, the ICC emphasized that the new World Cup structure 'creates greater context, competitiveness, and significance during the event.' The governing body of the game announced on Wednesday that 'the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup will feature 14 participating teams, but the revised format provides a three-stage competition leading to the Finals, creating greater context, competitiveness, and significance during the event, ensuring meaningful competition from the first match to the Final.'
Another change approved at a recent ICC council meeting in Edinburgh concerns the next Men's T20 World Cup in 2028. It will remain a 20-team competition, but now 10 teams will qualify in the group stage instead of eight. Two teams performing best in the 'Super 10' will automatically secure a spot in the semi-finals, and the new qualification round will determine their opponents.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highly praised the relationship between India and Australia on Thursday, employing cricket analogies to describe the diplomatic partnership of the two nations.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Modi stated that cricket is the diplomatic language in the relationship between India and Australia, comparing the leaders' meetings to a game of cricket.
Modi noted: 'Today, as we are in Melbourne, the sporting capital of the world, a conversation not about sports would be like winning a draw in a cricket match, but never the start of a game. Cricket is the diplomatic language in the relationship between India and Australia.'
He continued that their meetings resemble a game of cricket: 'Our agenda is as focused as in a One Day International match, our decisions are as quick as in a T20 match, and our partnership is as long-lasting and deep as in a Test match.'
During the press conference, the Prime Minister announced that both countries will host major sporting events in the coming years, which will strengthen sports cooperation and open up numerous opportunities for investment in sports infrastructure.
Modi emphasized: 'In the coming years, both our countries will host major sporting events such as the Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games. This will not only strengthen our sports cooperation but also create many opportunities for investment in sports infrastructure.'
In a joint statement released after the India-Australia Annual Summit, Prime Ministers Modi and Albanese condemned terrorist acts that occurred in Pahalgam (India) and on Bondi Beach (Sydney).
Both leaders strongly denounced terrorism and violent extremism that fuels terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They highlighted the importance of all countries combating the threat of terrorism in a comprehensive and sustainable manner, and called for action against globally banned terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those listed by the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee 1267, as well as their proxies, affiliates, sponsors, and financiers.
The Prime Ministers acknowledged the need to enhance cooperation for effective counter-terrorism efforts. They pledged to increase the exchange of information on regional terrorism threats and explore opportunities for broader engagement in countering radicalization, including online radicalization, violence-facilitating extremism, misuse of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, terrorism financing, and threats to critical infrastructure and maritime space.
Furthermore, Modi announced that India and Australia have concluded a landmark agreement on nuclear cooperation, adding a strategic nuclear dimension to their rapidly accelerating partnership.
The Prime Minister's visit, which began with his arrival in Melbourne on Wednesday for the second phase of the trilateral visit after visiting Indonesia, is expected to further accelerate the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which serves as the foundational framework governing bilateral relations between the two states.
Some residents of Pakistan are forced to adopt Muslim names while keeping their identity secret. While preserving their roots, people who grew up in Pakistan face difficulties in openly expressing their religious identity.
Sabraj Bill, who lived in Pakistan for about 40 years before returning to India in 2014, recounted that he was advised from childhood not to state his name when visiting Karachi or Lahore, but to conceal his Hindu affiliation if necessary. He noted that the situation is slightly better in the Sindh province, where more Hindus reside, but in other cities, there is a need to hide one's Hindu identity.
According to the 2023 Pakistani census, there are approximately 3.8 million Hindus living in the country, which accounts for about 1.61% of the total population. Most of this population is concentrated in Sindh. In Pakistan, Hindus are counted in two categories: Caste Hindus and Scheduled Castes. There are various estimates of the Hindu population: the Hindu Panjabet asserts that their number exceeds 5 million, while many reports indicate a range between 3.8 and 5 million.
According to government data, the number of Hindus has been increasing: it was about 1.28 million in 1981, 2.4 million in 1998, 3.5 million in 2017, and 3.8 million in 2023. The percentage of Hindus in the total population has always remained within the range of 1–2%. It is often claimed that Hindus once constituted 23%, but this refers to the period before Bangladesh separated from Pakistan. At the time of independence, Hindus made up 12.9% of the population in Pakistan, of which 22.0% were in East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh) and 1.6% in West Pakistan (present-day Pakistan).
According to NADRA data published in 2022, there were 2,201,566 Hindus, 188,340 Ahmadi Muslims, and 1,873,348 Christians residing in Pakistan. Additionally, there were 7,413 Sikhs and 14,537 Baha'i followers.
Sabraj notes that religious events proceed relatively easily in Sindh due to the higher percentage of Hindus. However, the situation changes when traveling to cities like Karachi, Multan, or Lahore. As Sabraj Bill said: 'There are many Hindus in Sindh, so there are not many problems. But if you have to go to Karachi, Multan, or Lahore, you have to hide. Even speaking your name is scary. The police are ready to rob.'
Jaan Bahadur Singh, who arrived from Pakistan to India in 2014, agrees with this, pointing out that Hindus in villages are often forced to live with their heads bowed. He emphasized that they merely exist, rather than living with their heads held high. Although racial discrimination has decreased, the gap between Hindus and Muslims remains very large.
Hindu Singh Sodha, who has worked with Pakistani Hindus who have come to India for 35 years, believes that the life of Hindus in Pakistan is in a state of adaptation. He stated: 'The biggest problem for Hindus in Pakistan is religious persecution. Religious persecution has reached its peak. It is difficult to survive even one day.'
Hindus from Pakistan celebrate festivals, but not as grandly as in India. They reported that during Diwali, they performed worship and lit candles, gathering in circles with their people, but the atmosphere present in India was absent. Dilip Singh Sodha, who arrived in 2011, added that festivals are celebrated in an atmosphere of fear. He noted: 'Festivals are celebrated only out of necessity. There is no joy in people; they do it in an atmosphere of fear.'
Jaan Bahadur Singh explained that religious events are conducted in a very limited format. 'We celebrate Holi and Diwali, but only among ten houses. If color gets on someone, a dispute arises, and you cannot play with colors near Muslim mosques. And if you sing hymns, you must be quiet.'
Regarding weddings, there is no complete ban; processions take place and musical instruments are played, but many avoid loud events to avoid attracting attention.
Historical temples such as Hinglaj Mata, Sharda Dham, Katasraj, and Ramdevji Dham still exist in Pakistan, but Hindus report that there are fewer of them than before. Sabraj noted: 'I saw with my own eyes that there used to be many temples. Gradually, their number decreased. Now only a few temples are visible.'
According to Sabraj Bill, there have been changes in school curricula over the last ten years. Previously, topics such as Holi, Diwali, and Ramayana were covered in books, but these chapters are now absent. Instead, more religious books are studied, which Hindus have to read.
Jaan Bahadur Singh mentioned that many Hindu families have started giving their children names that do not immediately reveal their religious affiliation. 'If the name contains 'Ram', the affiliation becomes obvious in some places. Therefore, many choose names similar to Muslim names so that the religion is not recognizable at first glance.'
According to those who arrived from Pakistan, Hindus are engaged in agriculture, hired labor, small businesses, shops, factories, and other traditional professions. In rural areas of Sindh, a significant portion of the population depends on agriculture and temporary work. Some families are also involved in trade and private business. Another Hindu, Dhalaram, shared that his main goal is simply to reach his homeland: 'What can I say about that place? We just came here. We reached our country.'
Almost all interviewed Hindus agreed that Pakistan cannot be viewed as a single entity. In some areas of Sindh, Hindus lead a relatively normal life, whereas conditions in other regions are vastly different. Their daily lives take place amidst minor precautions, attempts to maintain social balance, and protecting their religious identity. Perhaps this is why many Hindus who have come to India primarily speak not of any conveniences, but of no longer needing to hide their name and religion.
