Cricket fans are eagerly awaiting matches between India and Pakistan. Previously, these two teams most often met in ICC tournaments or the Asia Cup. However, there is now important news regarding encounters between these two countries.
Bilateral series between the two nations have long been suspended. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is looking for a new way for the teams to compete against each other outside of official ICC tournaments.
The ICC is preparing to implement a three-nation (tri-series) or four-nation tournament series model as an alternative to bilateral series. A special ICC seminar will take place in Dubai on September 22 and 23 to discuss holding such multinational tournaments between 2027 and 2031 under the Future Tours Programme (FTP).
According to the policies of the Indian government and the BCCI, conducting separate series with Pakistan is impossible. Nevertheless, if the tournament includes three or four teams, this will remove obstacles for India when playing against Pakistan that arise in direct series.
Given the current political climate in both countries, these matches could be organized in a third country. Reports suggest that the most likely candidates for this are the UAE, England, and Australia. Millions of cricket fans worldwide are showing great interest in India versus Pakistan matches.
Although bilateral series attract more fan attention, tournaments involving three or four teams also generate significant interest. It is expected that matches between India and Pakistan will bring substantial revenue to organizers, sponsors, and broadcasters.
The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan took place in 2012–2013, when the Pakistani team visited India. Since then, they have only faced each other in ICC tournaments or the Asia Cup.
Although this proposal is in its initial stages, representatives from the boards of all 12 Test-playing nations will attend the seminar in Dubai. If the BCCI and other boards agree to this model, fans will be able to see more exciting confrontations between India and Pakistan in the coming years.