Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones calls for India-Pakistan bilateral series

There was a time when the India-Pakistan rivalry was the pinnacle of cricketing contests, whether it be in Tests, ODIs or even the freshly established T20Is. It was a spectacle of passion, of unbridled support for the respective teams, and of course of high-octane cricket. This wasn’t simply restricted to two nations, the entire cricketing world longed to witness India and Pakistan take each other on.

However, cricketing ties took a hit following political tension. A series of terrorist attacks were carried out on India, and the finger always pointed towards Pakistan. As a result, the Indian government took a firm stance to cut off relations with Pakistan and haven’t engaged in a bilateral cricket for over 5 years now. The last time India and Pakistan were seen playing in an ODI series was back in 2013 when India hosted their neighbours for 3 ODIs.

India-Pakistan encounters are currently restricted to ICC events such as the World Cup, the Champions Trophy, World T20 and multi-national tournaments like Asia Cup. Pakistan handed India a 180-run drubbing during the final of the 2017 Champions Trophy, which rekindled the rivalry to a certain extent. They also met twice inside 3 days during the recently concluded Asia Cup – India thrashed Pakistan on both occasions.

Level of cricket has also dropped

It must also be said that the level of cricket played by the two sides has been mismatched. Pakistan, although a strong side back in the day, haven’t been able to put in consistent performances as a unit. India, on the other hand, have shown much more class and all-round ability. This is reflected in the fact that Pakistan haven’t won a single encounter against India in World Cup events, which includes World T20 matches.

However, many are of the opinion that the two teams should engage in bilateral series. Amongst them is former Australian cricketer turned commentator Dean Jones. Earlier this week, he tweeted, “I am not being provocative here.. I just would love to see a 5 game Series between India and Pakistan. I would pay money to watch that I can assure you! #bringiton”

While there is no certainty as to whether Deano’s wish will actually be granted, India and Pakistan are scheduled to take each other on in next year’s Cricket World Cup in England.

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