According to The Telegraph report, the England Cricket Board (ECB) on Tuesday offered its services as “neutral hosts” for a future Test series between Pakistan and India.
For the first time in 15 years, the announcement has made it possible for the two nations to play bilateral cricket.
Apart from multi-team competitions, Pakistan and India haven’t faced off in any format of men’s cricket since January 2013, as their previous Test match was played in December 2007.
In conversations with the Pakistan Cricket Board during the current Twenty20 series, Martin Darlow, the vice chairman of the England & Wales Cricket Board, “offered England’s grounds as venues for preferably a three-match Test series in the future,” according to The Telegraph report.
The matches would draw sizable crowds to the United Kingdom, which has a sizable ex-pat of?south Asian population, as well as significant sponsorship revenue and broadcast audiences, according to the report.
The research also noted that playing Pakistan on neutral ground would be more politically acceptable for India.
“It is believed the PCB are not keen on playing India at the moment at a neutral location but are appreciative for the ECB’s offer,” it continued.
A PCB spokesperson later confirmed the news, stating that the board had been notified about it.
Meanwhile, at a news conference earlier this month, Asim Iftikhar Ahmed, a spokesman for the Foreign Office, claimed that India had canceled plans to play cricket with Pakistan on a bilateral basis.
Ahmad stated, “We have always maintained that sports should not be involved with other things,” and he added that India was always welcome to play Pakistan.