IND vs PAK: Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Nick Hockley has shown interest in hosting a bilateral series between traditional rivals India and Pakistan in Australia. He also mentioned the potential for organizing a tri-series involving these cricket giants. This proposal marks a significant move, as India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since the 2012–13 season, limiting their face-offs to global ICC events.
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“Pakistan and India are traditional rival teams; there is a lot of excitement for their matches,” Hockley said. While no formal talks have been initiated, Hockley emphasized Cricket Australia’s willingness to facilitate and support such initiatives. “To the extent that we’d be able to facilitate or help in that, we’d be very open to do so. However, the final decision rests with the respective cricket boards of India and Pakistan.”
CA CEO Invites IND vs PAK To Take Place In Australia
Hockley’s statement highlights CA’s intention to use Australia’s neutral grounds to offer fans the thrilling experience of India-Pakistan cricket outside of ICC tournaments.
The excitement around an India-Pakistan series is evident, especially after their recent match in the 2024 T20 World Cup group stage in New York, which drew 90,293 spectators. India won by six runs, with Rohit Sharma’s team eventually winning the trophy, while Pakistan, captained by Babar Azam, did not advance beyond the group stage.
“From an Australian perspective, we would continue to value all three formats and would also want that each bilateral series must have consequences in terms of qualifications for the World Cups,” he concluded.
Reflecting on the enthusiasm for these matches, Hockley said, “Given the schedules, we haven’t had formal discussions in that regard, but we have said it on the record that we will be happy to host the India vs. Pakistan bilateral series.”
The Melbourne Cricket Club and the Victorian government have also shown interest in hosting such high-profile games, following the success of past events.
Furthermore, Hockley emphasized the need for bilateral series to have more significance, similar to the World Test Championship (WTC) structure. “The ODI World Cup, which India hosted last year, was fantastic. I think the ten-team format, where every game counts, is excellent.”
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