BCCI requests ICC not to put Pakistan, India in same pool of int’l events

India’s top sports board, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) not to place the teams of India and Pakistan in the same group in the future.
“Keeping in mind that the government has adopted a new strategy to isolate Pakistan and in view of the public sentiment in the country, we request ICC not to put India and Pakistan in the same pool of the multi-nation tournaments,” BCCI President Anurag Thakur said.
The decision was taken on the sidelines of the BCCI’s Special General Meeting held on Friday, Hindustan Times reported.
Thakur’s statement comes in the wake of soaring tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, which led to India’s unprovoked firing at the Line of Control on Thursday, to which Pakistan Army retaliated in a befitting manner and captured one Indian soldier and killed eight others.
Considering the lucrative rivalry between India and Pakistan, the ICC put the two teams in the same group in multi-nation tournaments to attract more spectators.
The next ICC event, ICC Champions Trophy to be held in England next year, will also see the two teams contest each other at pool stage.
The arch-rivals last played during the ICC World T20 earlier this year that saw hosts India beat Pakistan by six wickets.
The two teams have not competed in the Test format since Pakistan’s tour of India in 2007. There’s been no bi-lateral series between the cricketing giants since, save Pakistan’s visit of India in 2012 for two T20Is and three One-Day Internationals. – Agencies