The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has dismissed suggestions that it might avoid playing against Pakistan in future international events, saying such matches are an obligation, not a choice.
The statement came after former England captain Mike Atherton urged the ICC to stop deliberately arranging Pakistan-India encounters in every global tournament. In his column, Atherton wrote that these fixtures were often grouped together for financial gain, which, he said, was politicizing cricket.
Atherton called on the ICC to ensure transparent draws in future tournaments and stated that if Pakistan and India did not meet naturally through fair draws, it should not be forced for commercial reasons.
Responding to his remarks, a BCCI official told Indian media that while such comments sound simple, the reality of sponsorship and broadcasting deals makes them impractical. “If any major team, including India, pulls out of a tournament, it would become very difficult to attract sponsors,” the official said.
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The debate follows a tense Asia Cup where Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav was criticized for not shaking hands with Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha at the toss and later refusing to receive the trophy from Asian Cricket Council (ACC) President Mohsin Naqvi.
Due to India’s refusal to collect the trophy, it still remains at the ACC headquarters in Dubai. Mohsin Naqvi has stated that if India wants it, Suryakumar Yadav should personally come to Dubai to receive it.
