The cricket teams of India and Pakistan are not seen facing each other except in ICC tournament matches. The last time when both the teams faced each other in a bilateral series was in the year 2012-13. At this time Pakistan team had come on India tour. Since then, both the teams have not played a bilateral series in any format. Now Pakistan Cricket Board Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf has expressed hope that both the cricket boards are ready for the series. Ashraf has given this statement in a recent press conference.
PCB Chairman Zaka Ashraf believes that if government approval is given then both the countries are ready to play. PCB.com.pk quoted Ashraf as saying in a press conference, ‘As far as the India-Pakistan series is concerned, as long as there is government approval. Both the boards are ready to play with each other.
Pakistan team came to India in 2012-13
It has been more than 10 years since India and Pakistan played a bilateral series. The last time both the teams were face to face was in 2012-13. On this tour, there were a series of 2 T20 matches and a series of 3 ODI matches between the two teams. Pakistan won the ODI series 2-1. At the same time, the T20 series ended in a draw at 1-1.
Anurag Thakur had said this
There has been no reaction from BCCI on the statement of PCB Chairman. In September 2023, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had earlier decided that bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan would not take place until Pakistan ended “terrorism”. Anurag Thakur said, ‘BCCI had decided long ago that we will not play bilateral matches with Pakistan until they end terrorism, cross-border attacks and infiltration.’
