The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has dismissed the proposal presented by Najam Sethi, Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), for a bilateral Test series between India and Pakistan to be held at a neutral venue. Sethi had expressed his willingness to organize the series in countries such as Australia, England, or South Africa, with England being his preferred choice.
In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Sethi had suggested the idea of arranging bilateral Test matches between the arch-rivals in neutral venues, highlighting the potential for a successful turnout in Australia or England.
While Sethi expressed his optimism, the BCCI has firmly rejected the possibility of such a series taking place in the future. According to a report from the ANI news agency, a BCCI source stated that the Indian cricket board is not inclined to engage in any bilateral series with Pakistan at the moment or in the foreseeable future. The source reiterated the BCCI’s position, emphasizing their lack of interest in pursuing cricketing engagements with their Pakistani counterparts.
“There are no plans for such kind of series to happen in the future or upcoming days. We aren’t ready for any kind of bilateral series with Pakistan,” the BCCI source stated.
Despite the immense popularity of Pakistan-India matches, which always draw significant attention from fans, the two arch-rivals have rarely met outside of major cricketing events due to political tensions between the nations. Their most recent bilateral series occurred in 2013, and the last Test match between the two teams was played in December 2007.
With the BCCI’s rejection of the proposal, the prospect of a bilateral Test series between India and Pakistan in neutral venues remains uncertain, as the cricketing rivalry between the two nations continues to be influenced by political complexities.
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