ICC To Summon India, Pakistan To Play Together In New Tournaments

IND vs PAK in 2026 T20 World Cup | Source - AFP

ICC will have its annual general meeting on Wednesday, July 8, in Edinburgh. All 12 full members will discuss the future of cricket in the meeting scheduled to held in Scotland. Among the top agenda items for the meeting are discussions about ODI's future, the expansion of WTC, and the World Club Championship. 

The Jay Shah-led ICC will also be discussing additional agendas at the AGM 2026, including the creation of new tournaments in which arch-rivals India and Pakistan will be at loggerheads. 

Due to the geopolitical differences between the nations, Team India and Pakistan are restricted to playing only in ICC and ACC tournaments. The last bilateral between the two Asian teams was in 2012, in India. 

Is ICC looking to create a new-tournament for IND vs PAK revival?

As reported by the Guardian, the ICC will discuss shortening the ODI matches, with the bilateral series not to be played throughout the years but to limit them exclusively to the 18 months leading up to a World Cup. 

It has been said that the apex body would also push for the return of tri-nation and multination tournaments. 

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"The ICC is also exploring adding more events to its portfolio, with bilateral series not involving two of England, India and Australia having little commercial value," the Guardian report stated. 

For now, just England, India and Australia are said to be in contention for the tri-series, but no one knows the brand value an IND-PAK clash would attract more than the ICC. Thus, a multi-nation or tri-nation tournament involving India and Pakistan may be added to the FTP.  

WTC expansion, two-tier system could restart India-Pakistan Tests

Moreover, the ICC will also look at the future of the World Test Championship (WTC). With a vast difference between the top three-four nations and the rest of the teams participating in the ongoing system, where nine teams fight straight for two years to win a coveted trophy. 

It is also reported that three more teams will be added to the WTC. Meanwhile, a top-tier system may be adopted for the Test championship. For now, both India (in fifth place) and Pakistan (ninth position) are in the bottom half. 

Thus, if the two-tier system comes in for the WTC, India and Pakistan could be seen playing Test cricket. As per the current rules, a board decides on six series (three away, three at home) for its WTC cycle, and India and Pakistan are yet to face off in the WTC. 

Notably, India and Pakistan last played a Test series in 2006/07. 

World Club T20 Championship will also bring INDO-PAK closer

There are speculations regarding ICC designing a Champions League-like tournament, i.e. the World Club T20 Championship, where top teams from the franchise leagues from across the world will play together. 

If that happens, top sides from the Indian Premier League and Pakistan Super League can be seen at loggerheads. Back in the day, during the Champions League T20, IPL teams were the mainstays of the tournament, while the domestic T20 teams of other top nations were also present. 

The Champions League T20 could not build an audience then, as it lasted only six years and ended in 2014. 

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