Hours after the PCB-ICC deadlock ended, allowing the T20 clash to proceed, Vaughan took to X to express his excitement. “It’s great for the competition and cricket. We need them to somehow play a Test series soon as well. The UK would be a great place to host a 3-match series,” he wrote.
A History of Bilateral Series
Political tensions between India and Pakistan have kept the two sides apart in bilateral series for years. The last Test series between the countries took place in 2007, when Pakistan toured India, losing 0-1 in Tests and 2-3 in ODIs.
Between 2004 and 2007, India and Pakistan enjoyed a rare streak of consecutive bilateral series. India toured Pakistan in 2004 for the first full-fledged tour since 1989, clinching both the ODI and Test series. In 1997, India had visited Pakistan for a short three-match ODI series to mark 50 years of Pakistan’s independence. Pakistan returned the favor in 2005, winning the ODI series 4-2 and drawing the Tests 1-1. In 2006, India toured Pakistan again, winning the ODIs 4-1 but losing the Tests 0-1 despite Irfan Pathan’s hat-trick heroics in Karachi.
Why a Future Series Remains Uncertain
Despite the global appeal of an India-Pakistan series, the likelihood of it happening anytime soon remains slim. Political tensions continue to cast a shadow over cricketing relations, with both the BCCI and PCB refusing to tour each other’s countries. Even organizing a Test series at a neutral venue faces major hurdles.
The ICC, as the sport’s governing body, cannot sanction such a series independently; approval must come from the governments of both nations. Past incidents, including the 2019 Pulwama attack and tensions in Pahalgam, have made the prospect of a bilateral series nearly impossible.
In recent years, discussions of a tri-series involving India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh were rejected by the ICC, as the body clarified it did not have the authority to intervene in political matters.
The Cricketing Holy Grail
India-Pakistan clashes remain cricket’s “holy grail,” generating unmatched revenue, sponsorship, ratings, and public interest. During the 1990s, 2000s, and early 2010s, India-Pakistan matches had the power to empty streets and captivate millions. Today, the rarity of these contests continues to fuel global hype. However, the cricketing gap between the two sides has widened, with Pakistan winning just three matches against India over the past nine years, making the rivalry increasingly one-sided.
While fans may dream of a future Test series between the cricketing giants, political realities mean that such a fixture may remain an aspiration rather than an imminent reality.
