Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has cast serious doubt on the prospect of India and Pakistan resuming bilateral cricket anytime soon, citing political interference as the primary obstacle.Speaking on former England captain Michael Vaughan’s The Overlap Cricket show on YouTube, Modi suggested that strained relations between the two councils continued to hamper any possibility of a series, even at a neutral venue. Modi pointed to what he described as growing political influence over the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as a key issue. He noted that there could be “some push” toward reviving ties if the situation was not “politicized” by external pressures.
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What Ryan Cook said after LSG tasted yet another defeat Rejecting suggestions that neutral venues could offer a solution, Modi stressed that the problem ran deeper than logistics, instead rooted in governance and decision-making within the PCB.Modi reiterated that the situation was unlikely to improve anytime soon, effectively ruling out the possibility of a bilateral series in the near future. “My fear is that it may not be possible in the near future mainly because of the politicization by the Pakistan Cricket Board in Pakistan and unfortunately that is the case,” he said on the Stick to Cricket podcast.He argued that decisions are no longer taken independently in cricket circles, complicating efforts to organize matches between the two sides. He also expressed concerns about the safety of the players given the charged atmosphere surrounding the India-Pakistan clash.“I was the one who brought the Pakistani players to the IPL and then I had to move them after the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai. The problem is if the Pakistan Cricket Board had been independent and run independently, if it had not been politically influenced, we would have had some traction. But today the Pakistan Cricket Board is so politicized by the powers that be, and they are making it political and political tension at the political level. It’s only going to get worse, so I’m worried about players,” he said.
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The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan
The last bilateral series between India and Pakistan was in 201-13 when Pakistan toured India for a limited overs series consisting of two T20Is and three ODIs. The T20I series ended in a 1–1 draw, while Pakistan won the ODI series 2–1. Since then, the two teams have not been involved in any bilateral competitions and have only met in ICC tournaments and multi-nation events such as the Asia Cup.
