Here is why India and Pakistan won’t lock horns in the ICC Test Championship

The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently released the schedule of the ICC Test Championship and the One Day tournaments from 2018 to 2022 respectively. As per the WTC, nine teams will play six Tests (three at home and three at away) among each other. India will start their campaign with a two-match series versus the Windies in 2019 July and August.

However, Asian giants, India and Pakistan won’t be pitted against each other in the event. The teams last played against each other in a Test match back in December 2007 when Pakistan toured India for a three-match Tests series in Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangalore respectively. The two nations have been in loggerheads and altercations between the BCCI and the PCB have been seen on a consistent basis.

Indian government’s stern step against their rival

The countries don’t share a healthy relationship and the Indian government doesn’t want the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to maintain any ties with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Keeping the same in mind, the BCCI didn’t even negotiate with the ICC for tests versus their arch-rivals.

“The Government of India told us very clearly that there would be no bilateral cricket with Pakistan. The Government doesn’t encourage, as a policy, bilateral cricket with Pakistan,” Vinod Rai, the Chairman of the Committee of Administrators (COA) was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

As far as bilateral limited-overs series is concerned, they last played in 2013 when the Men in Green visited their neighbors. The visitors won the series by 2-1 with the Men in Blue winning their only match at the Feroz Shah Kotla in New Delhi. Nevertheless, during the FTP, the Men in Blue will cross swords with Pakistan in ICC tournaments.

Meanwhile, India will face the Windies, South Africa, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Australia and England in the cycle of two years. Sarfraz Ahmed’s men will take part in series against Sri Lanka, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa and New Zealand during the Championship, the final of which will be played in June 2020 at Lord’s.

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