BCCI secretary opens up about Pakistan, India series in future

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-secretary Rajeev Shukla has opened up about the prospect of a bilateral series between arch-rivals Pakistan and India in near future.

Shukla, along with other cricket boards representatives, was invited by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi for the final ICC Champions Trophy game at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

The BCCI vice-secretary once again reiterated that the final decision on Pakistan and India series will be taken by the Indian government.

However, he ruled out the possibility of a series at a neutral venue, highlighting the two cricket board’s policies.

“It’s true that the fans want to see this contest. But as a matter of policy, the BCCI (and also the PCB) has always been particular about hosting a bilateral tournament on the home soil,” he said. “We have been particular about it, and let’s see, what happens in the future.”

When asked about India’s advantage of playing matches at single venue, he responded that Rohit Sharma’s men are not dependent on wickets.

“The decision of hosting India’s matches in Dubai was finalised long ago by the ICC, so there are no questions of fair or unfair play,” Shulka said. “And, Indian are not dependent on the wickets and even in Dubai, they play on different strips, so the team plays to the best of its ability and performs well.”

He also lauded the PCB for successfully hosting the Champions Trophy 2025 and praised the new look of the Gaddafi Stadium.