According to official sources, there were no discussions regarding the resumption of cricket ties between India and Pakistan, during the recent visit of India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Islamabad for the 23rd Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of Government.
This visit, which was closely watched by both nations, did not address the long-standing hiatus in bilateral cricketing relations, which have been strained since 2008 due to geopolitical tensions linked to terrorism.
Despite the anticipation surrounding the potential for cricket diplomacy, Indian media confirmed that the topic was not on the agenda. However, local Pakistani media reported that the initial conversation between the foreign ministers of Pakistan and India began with cricket as a focal point.
Pakistan reportedly proposed that the dialogue between the two nations should commence with a discussion centered around cricket, highlighting the sport’s potential as a bridge for diplomatic engagement.
In an interesting turn of events, sources revealed that the two foreign ministers were initially seated apart during the meeting. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs later revised the seating arrangement to ensure they sat side by side, possibly to facilitate a more direct and cordial dialogue.
The cricketing ties between India and Pakistan have been largely limited to ICC events and Asia Cup tournaments since the last bilateral series, which took place in India from December 2012 to January 2013. India last toured Pakistan during the 2008 Asia Cup, while Pakistan has traveled to India three times since 2008 for cricketing events.
With Pakistan set to host the ICC Champions Trophy next year, the prospect of India traveling to Pakistan remains uncertain. Reports have surfaced that the International Cricket Council (ICC) is exploring three potential options for hosting the tournament. One possibility is to proceed with Pakistan as the sole host, as originally planned.
Another is a hybrid model where some matches, including those involving India and knockout stages, would be played in Dubai. The third option is to move the entire tournament out of Pakistan, with Dubai, Sri Lanka, or South Africa being considered as alternative hosts.