'Proxy for propaganda' - Michael Atherton feels India-Pakistan games should no longer be ‘arranged’

Former English skipper Michael Atherton has come down heavily on the scheduling of the India-Pakistan fixture at ICC tournaments. Drawing India and Pakistan in the same group has become a custom in ICC tournaments since the past many years. 

Atherton explained why the clash holds weightage in the cricketing calendar and also elaborated upon the increased importance of the fixture in ICC events due to the lack of bilateral cricket between the two nations.

“Despite its scarcity (maybe, in part, because of its scarcity) it is a fixture that carries huge economic clout, one of the main reasons why the broadcast rights for ICC tournaments are worth so much — roughly $3 billion for the most recent rights cycle (in) 2023-27. Due to the relative decline in the value of bilateral matches, ICC events have grown in frequency and importance, and so the India and Pakistan fixture is crucial to the balance sheets of those who would not otherwise have any skin in the game,” wrote Atherton in a column for The Times.

The ex-English skipper did not shy away from calling the sport as a "proxy for broader tensions and for propaganda" in light of the current events, urging the ICC to keep the scheduling more transparent.

“If cricket was once the vehicle for diplomacy, it is now, clearly, become a proxy for broader tensions and for propaganda. There is little justification, in any case, for a serious sport to arrange tournament fixtures to suit its economic needs and now that the rivalry is being exploited in other ways, there is even less justification for it. For the next broadcast rights cycle, the fixture draw before ICC events should be transparent and if the two teams do not meet every time, so be it,” he added.

The recent Asia Cup 2025 saw both the teams not shaking hands with each other, which is part of the usual pre and post-match rituals. There were quite a few heated and controversial moments between the players on the field as well, which were clear indicators of politics blending in with the game. The recent Women's World Cup clash between the two nations on Sunday, October 5, also saw the 'no-handshake' policy being continued.