BCCI turns down PCB’s grand Test plan between India and Pakistan in neutral venue

Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are no more playing bilateral series against each other due to sour diplomatic situation. Both the countries only play in ICC events.

However, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed his desire to conduct a Test match between India and Pakistan in a neutral venue. PCB Chairman Najam Sethi is keen to conduct the high-voltage match somewhere in England, Australia or South Africa. However, BCCI has turned down the offer.

Hence, there will be no Babar Azam vs Ravichandran Ashwin or Virat Kohli vs Shaheen Afridi battle with the red-ball apart from the World Test Championship (WTC) Final. 

As per BCCI sources, no plans for such kind of series is there in the future or upcoming days. 

“We aren’t ready for any kind of bilateral series with Pakistan,” said a BCCI official.

Earlier, Sethi had proposed a bilateral Test match between both the countries during an interview. His predecessor Ramiz Raja too was keen on resuming bilateral cricket ties between the arch-rivals. But after BCCI’s refusal, no such event could be organised in near future now.

Notably, India last played a Test match against Pakistan back in 2007 in Bengaluru. Since then, there has been no red-ball cricket between both the countries.

Meanwhile, Sethi has made it clear that if BCCI turns down his proposal of a hybrid model for Asia Cup 2023, Pakistan may refuse to come to India for the upcoming ODI World Cup.