India’s neighbour and fierce cricketing rivals Pakistan may play their “home” matches in India if the Pakistan Cricket Board’s Chief Shahayar Khan’s proposal is accepted. "We would like to make India our home," Khan has been quoted as saying.
Since the deadly attack in 2009 on the Sri Lankan cricket teams’ bus in Lahore, no Test playing nation had played in Pakistan till this month. The PCB may have got Zimbabwe to be the first Test playing nation to play in Pakistan now, but others may not follow suit regardless of the tour going on without a hitch.
In the last six years, Pakistan had been playing all of their "home matches" in the United Arab Emirates, a country that has graciously played host to the Pakistan cricket team and even provided some memorable matches.
Countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – with many more stadiums and better facilities – have offered their grounds to Pakistan, but the PCB Chief told the Hindustan Times that he would prefer India to be the venue for their home matches. “India will be more cost-effective”, Khan said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, for its part, has not ruled out the possibility of accepting Pakistan’s request. But those in the know of things say that there are some key issues that need to be worked out before things can move ahead. Some of these are beyond the control of the two boards.
Packed schedule
The BCCI is at the moment moving full speed ahead with preparations for the next year’s T20 World Cup, and has a packed calendar of visiting teams that includes South Africa and Sri Lanka. There is also the month and a half long Indian Premier League season to be played in April and May of next year. The Asia Cup that is being held from March 11 to April 3, 2016 is also being hosted by India. After a gap from April till September of 2016, the schedule is packed once again with Bangladesh, New Zealand, England and Australia due to tour India.
With such a packed schedule, not to mention domestic tournaments such as Ranji trophy being played, there is no space to host Pakistan’s home matches in India. While one would love to see Trent Boult of New Zealand bowling to Azhar Ali or Shoaib Malik in India, it is very unlikely to happen.
India-Pakistan ties
At the moment, despite recent efforts, cricketing ties between the two countries are limited. India had cancelled bilateral ties with Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in 2008. After that, attempts to revive cricketing ties had resulted in India hosting Pakistan in 2012-13 for a limited over series of two T20s and three ODIs.
Pakistani players are banned from the cash-rich IPL and there is a tussle going on as to whether India will go ahead with the proposed series against Pakistan in the UAE.
What also seems certain is that Indian players are not too keen to tour Pakistan. "Whatever the countries' Boards may decide," former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar told NDTV, "I am sure not many top Indian players would like to go there and play if they are asked today." Terming Zimbabwe’s tour of Pakistan as a “baby step,” Gavaskar added, “After what happened in 2009, most players would refuse to tour the country”.
The PCB, on its part, also rubbished reports that the Indo-Pak series would take place in India. “There is speculation in the Indian press suggesting that PCB is agreeable to touring India in December in lieu of the home series in UAE”, the PCB statement read. “PCB would like to clarify that PCB remains committed to the MOU signed with BCCI in which India has agreed to play the first Pak-India series in UAE this December”.
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Since the deadly attack in 2009 on the Sri Lankan cricket teams’ bus in Lahore, no Test playing nation had played in Pakistan till this month. The PCB may have got Zimbabwe to be the first Test playing nation to play in Pakistan now, but others may not follow suit regardless of the tour going on without a hitch.
In the last six years, Pakistan had been playing all of their "home matches" in the United Arab Emirates, a country that has graciously played host to the Pakistan cricket team and even provided some memorable matches.
Countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka – with many more stadiums and better facilities – have offered their grounds to Pakistan, but the PCB Chief told the Hindustan Times that he would prefer India to be the venue for their home matches. “India will be more cost-effective”, Khan said.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India, for its part, has not ruled out the possibility of accepting Pakistan’s request. But those in the know of things say that there are some key issues that need to be worked out before things can move ahead. Some of these are beyond the control of the two boards.
Packed schedule
The BCCI is at the moment moving full speed ahead with preparations for the next year’s T20 World Cup, and has a packed calendar of visiting teams that includes South Africa and Sri Lanka. There is also the month and a half long Indian Premier League season to be played in April and May of next year. The Asia Cup that is being held from March 11 to April 3, 2016 is also being hosted by India. After a gap from April till September of 2016, the schedule is packed once again with Bangladesh, New Zealand, England and Australia due to tour India.
With such a packed schedule, not to mention domestic tournaments such as Ranji trophy being played, there is no space to host Pakistan’s home matches in India. While one would love to see Trent Boult of New Zealand bowling to Azhar Ali or Shoaib Malik in India, it is very unlikely to happen.
India-Pakistan ties
At the moment, despite recent efforts, cricketing ties between the two countries are limited. India had cancelled bilateral ties with Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack in 2008. After that, attempts to revive cricketing ties had resulted in India hosting Pakistan in 2012-13 for a limited over series of two T20s and three ODIs.
Pakistani players are banned from the cash-rich IPL and there is a tussle going on as to whether India will go ahead with the proposed series against Pakistan in the UAE.
What also seems certain is that Indian players are not too keen to tour Pakistan. "Whatever the countries' Boards may decide," former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar told NDTV, "I am sure not many top Indian players would like to go there and play if they are asked today." Terming Zimbabwe’s tour of Pakistan as a “baby step,” Gavaskar added, “After what happened in 2009, most players would refuse to tour the country”.
The PCB, on its part, also rubbished reports that the Indo-Pak series would take place in India. “There is speculation in the Indian press suggesting that PCB is agreeable to touring India in December in lieu of the home series in UAE”, the PCB statement read. “PCB would like to clarify that PCB remains committed to the MOU signed with BCCI in which India has agreed to play the first Pak-India series in UAE this December”.