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NEW DELHI: Speaking on India-Pakistan matches in ICC events, which will be held at neutral locations, former Pakistani batsman and wicketkeeper Rashid Latif stated that a settlement of this kind ought to have been reached following the 2017 Champions Trophy adding that the ICC is developing a formula that will be advantageous to both countries.
The International Cricket Council’s executive board affirmed Thursday that neutral venues will host India-Pakistan matches in all ICC events through 2027, including the Champions Trophy 2025 the following year.
“This settlement should have been made after the 2017 Champions Trophy, as per ICC rules, because Pakistan had visited India in 2016. In 2023, Pakistan also visited India and played in the ODI World Cup. We want both Pakistan and India to visit each other’s countries and play. The 2023 Asia Cup was held outside, and we are basically avoiding playing with each other. Pakistan has already visited India twice, so the people of Pakistan felt that India should have come,” Latif told IANS.
“But now the settlement that has been made is for the long term, where India and Pakistan will play matches at neutral venues. To ensure this, they must have signed documents with the ICC and the board members. In this, India has always been dominant, and they got what they wanted. Pakistan wanted to keep the Champions Trophy in their country, and they were making a reasonable point in their own way. However, in all of this, the victory should be for cricket, not for India or Pakistan,” he added.
The 56-year-old veteran emphasized that the narrative of India winning and Pakistan losing should no longer be the main focus. He further emphasized that it is “financially damaging” for both India and Pakistan to play their home games at a neutral location.
Both the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (hosted by India and Sri Lanka) and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 (hosted by India) will use the neutral venue provisions.
Additionally, it will be used for the 2028 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, which Pakistan has been granted the right to host.
“The argument will always be that India won, and Pakistan lost. I believe we should move beyond this, and whatever events take place should be based on equality. Not playing against each other is financially damaging for both teams, and a formula is being created for this. Once it’s complete, I will definitely share it,” he said.
Due to their tense political ties, India and Pakistan only participate in international competitions such as the Asia Cup and World Cups. The two countries’ last bilateral series took place in 2012-13, when Pakistan traveled to India for a five-match white-ball series.
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