Cricket Australia Keen to Host India-Pakistan Bilateral Series
Cricket Australia (CA) has expressed its eagerness to host a bilateral series between India and Pakistan, should the respective cricket boards agree to such a venture. The announcement comes as both India and Pakistan are scheduled to tour Australia in November for separate series.
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13, with their encounters limited to global ICC events. However, the thrilling T20 World Cup match between the two nations at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2022, which drew a record crowd of 90,293, has reignited interest in a potential bilateral series.
CA chief executive Nick Hockley emphasized the organization’s desire to host such a series, stating, “We would love to host that if the opportunity arose. If we can play a role, we’d love to play a role.”
Hockley acknowledged that the decision ultimately rests with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), but CA remains open to facilitating the event.
CA’s head of scheduling, Peter Roach, also expressed interest in hosting a tri-series involving India and Pakistan, but noted that there is currently no room for such a series in the Future Tours Programme (FTP).
Despite the scheduling challenges, CA remains committed to exploring opportunities to host India and Pakistan in a bilateral series. The organization believes that such a series would not only be a sporting spectacle but also a significant cultural event.