London: With there being a huge demand for cricket contests between India and Pakistan and in whichever format– as was evident during their recent matchup in the 2022 Asia Cup in the UAE, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has offered to host Test matches between them as a neutral venue.
India and Pakistan last played bilateral one-day international series in 2012-13 and have not played a Test series since 2007.
Considering this situation, the ECB have offered to host India and Pakistan in a bilateral series, the UK Daily Telegraph reported on Tuesday.
However, both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have not shown much interest in the proposal and rejected it.
The Telegraph newspaper reported, “Martin Darlow, the deputy chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, has held talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board during the current Twenty20 series and offered England’s grounds as venues for ideally a three-match Test series in future.”
The newspaper stated the reason for their offer was that “the matches would attract big crowds in the UK, which has a large ex-pat south Asian population.”
However, the BCCI reportedly said possibility of such a series happening in near future is next to nil. It reported its stand that it is not in favour of playing bilateral series in neutral venues.
The PCB is also not keen on playing India at a neutral venue but thanked ECB for their offer.
“PCB is not keen on playing India at a neutral venue but is grateful for the ECB’s offer, which shows the growing relationship between the two boards. It stated that with the big nations again starting to tour Pakistan, it will be a “retrograde step in their eyes” if they happen to play on a neutral venue,” the Telegraph reported.
(IANS)
