The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Zaka Ashraf has proposed the BCCI to introduce the Jinnah-Gandhi Trophy to resume the bilateral IND vs PAK series between India and Pakistan.
In a hope to revive bilateral ties in international cricket between the two countries, the PCB Chief strongly feels the Jinnah-Gandhi Trophy would help also to strengthen the relationship between the two boards.
No Contest is bigger than IND vs PAK: PCB Chief
Zaka Ashraf reckons both teams can tour each other on an alternate basis. He gave the example of the much-hyped, exciting Ashes series between Australia and England, wherein the two nations tour each other every two years for a 5-Test series.
“I proposed BCCI to play annual Gandhi-Jinnah trophy likewise the Ashes. India and Pakistan can tour each other for thie series,” Ashraf said on ARY News. “I suggested to the BCCI to organise a Jinnah-Gandhi trophy as no contest is bigger than Pakistan vs India.”
However, this proposal from Ashraf is highly unlikely, and almost impossible to go through because of the severely strained political ties between the governments of the two countries.
IND vs PAK last played a bilateral series in India in 2013. And India last traveled to Pakistan in 2008 for the Aisa Cup. Pakistan have travelled to India in the 2016 T20 World Cup also and now are in India for the World Cup 2023.
India recently refused to travel to Pakistan for the Asia Cup 2023. This forced Pakistan to hold 9 of the 13 matches in the tournament in Sri Lanka. India won the Asia Cup, while Pakistan finished 4th in the Super 4 round. The BCCI and the Indian government have made it clear that they have no intentions of sending their players to Pakistan.
This is set to further make controversies in two years’ time when Pakistan are set to host the 2025 Champions Trophy. With India’s stance of not travelling to Pakistan, it will create more chaos and tension between the two boards.
Meanwhile, the IND vs PAK matches are set to resume when both teams face each other October 14 in Ahmedabad. In the Asia Cup, India defeated Pakistan by a heavy margin of 228 runs in Colombo.
