Australia is in agreement to host series with India and Pakistan: CA Chief

Australia is willing to host a tri-series in the future with India and Pakistan taking part. The two arch-rivals have for long not been playing any bilateral series with their only meetings coming in ICC tournaments. The last time the two teams were involved in a bilateral series was back in 2012 when Pakistan toured India.

Now, Cricket Australia (CA) Chief Executive, Nick Hockley, has said that though nothing is concrete at the point, the CA would not be averse to the idea of hosting a tri-series with the two nations.

“Personally, I really like the tri-series concept. It’s worked well in the past,” Hockley told the press in Rawalpindi post first Pak vs Aus Test, as quoted by The Times of India.

“We’d be open to hosting matches. There are really big communities of India and Pakistan living in Australia.”

“It’s a contest that everyone wants to see in world cricket and if we can help support further opportunities, we would love to do that,” he added.

However, With the Future Tour Programme and the ICC’s International schedule already planned through to 2023, a series of such nature is unlikely to happen in the near future.

PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja has previously pitched a four-nation series involving India and Pakistan

Notably, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ramiz Raja, had pitched a four-nation series involving India, Pakistan, Australia, and England in January. However, not much progress has been seen on the idea so far. There has been a long debate over the last few years on whether the two teams should be playing against each other in a bilateral series.

In terms of India touring Pakistan, it last happened in 2005-06 when India traveled to the neighboring shores for a three-match Test series and a five-match ODI series. The two teams will however be going up against each other in the T20 World Cup later this year at the MCG in Melbourne with the tickets for the much-anticipated game being sold out already.