If we look at the record of the last 25 encounters between India and Pakistan, it is clear that India totally dominates the Pakistan cricket team. India has lost only 7 out of the last 25 matches it has played with its arch-rival. More than half of those victories have not even been close encounters.
India-Pakistan matches are actually lopsided and a no-contest these days. Yet, there are non-cricketing reasons that ensure this non-existent cricketing contest is still seen as a rivalry.
A FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) estimate, in many reports, suggests that India-Pakistan matches have grossed close to Rs 10,000 crore in earnings over the last two decades. It is clear that it’s in the business interest of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the respective boards for this revenue to continue. It’s obvious that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) gets a fair share of this money.
It is time now for the BCCI to reconsider its approach toward playing Pakistan in ICC events.
The most prestigious ICC event in cricket is the ODI World Cup. In 2023, this was held in India.
During the tournament, Hasan Raza, a former Pakistani cricketer, made bizarre allegations against India. According to Raza, the Indian team got special cricket balls with some gadget fitted into them to give them an edge over rival teams. He also alleged that the Indian team manipulated the DRS system throughout the tournament. Except for the great Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram, no other Pakistani player rubbished these allegations.
It is often suggested that sports should not be mixed with politics. But Shahid Afridi, a prominent cricketer from Pakistan, often does the opposite. Recently, he made against the Indian Army, which were needless, unacceptable, and unpardonable.
Last year, in another ICC event, former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq needlessly questioned the timing of Indian bowler Arshdeep Singh’s reverse swing. India went on to win this T20 World Cup, and the controversy died a natural death.
Indian cricket is highly regarded in the world today. India is a major cricketing nation in terms of skill across all formats. Yet it gets frequent abuse from across the border. It’s ironical that even though the PCB and former players of Pakistan accuse Indian cricket of wrongdoing, they still desperately seek cricketing ties with India.
Pakistan does not respect Indian cricket. It only wants the revenue that comes from playing India. It is high time the BCCI stops playing all cricket with Pakistan. This should include ICC events. Now is not the time to look out for the commercial interests of broadcasters or the revenues of the ICC.
The most important thing to do at the moment is to hurt the finances of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Cricket will not suffer as a result of this boycott, because India-Pakistan cricket matches are currently boring and one-sided.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
