Unable to tour Pakistan for ODI series, BCCI bears the brunt for India-Pakistan conflict

Pakistan women’s team tour to India is likely to be called off as the Indian cricket board is yet to receive any government directive in regard to hosting the neighbours for a women’s ODI series at the end of November this year. As a result, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket) shall write to the ICC that it cannot host the series and that points be shared between the two teams.

The three-match ODI series, as a part of the ICC Women’s Championship, was deemed crucial for qualification at the 2021 World Cup. The issue was discussed in the Committee of Administrator’s (CoA) meeting last month but is yet to be resolved. There are a few sports rivalries to match that of an India vs. Pakistan showdown, their faceoff in cricket is magnified and warped by things even beyond the game itself. According to TOI reports, the BCCI is required to produce a letter before the ICC from the government as to why India is unable to host the Pakistan team for a series.

India-Pakistan clashes morph from a mere sporting affair to a much bitter encounter of conflicting nationalism and cultural chauvinism both on and off the field. The BCCI on its part, making its position very clear, has said that they had sought approval for the tour but given the prevailing conditions between the two countries, can do little unless given permission. The Indian women’s cricket team had lost crucial points after refusing to play Pakistan due to valid security concerns in Round 6 of the ICC Women’s Championship in November, 2016.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wants ICC to award points for the ODI series in case India doesn’t host Pakistan. The political ramifications make India-Pakistan rivalry unparalleled in all of sports, mainly in the cricketing context. This could be a key challenge to the recently-appointed ICC president, Sourav Ganguly.