Pakistan's Inability To Play India In Bilateral Events Has Caused Huge Financial Loss Says Michael Atherton

Expressing his sympathies for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), former England captain Michael Atherton has said that they have suffered huge financial losses over the past decade due to their inability to play India in bilateral events.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since January 2013 wherein Pakistan visited their neighbours for two T20Is and three ODIs. They have not met in a bilateral Test series since the 2007-08 season.

Both countries face each other only in Asia Cups and ICC events and the 2019 World Cup saw the most recent clash between them. Numerous efforts have been made to hold bilateral series in the past, but it has not worked due to political tensions between the two neighbours.

"Pakistan's inability to play India in bilateral events has cost them hundreds of millions of dollars in the past decade, or how being in exile in the UAE for nearly a decade cost significant amounts of financial and psychological capital," Atherton wrote in his column for The Times.

India and Pakistan will next face each other on October 24 in the upcoming T20 World Cup in UAE. Atherton, also mentioned that Pakistan have played the most number of matches away from home since cricket resumed after the Covid-19 break.

"When England have pulled out of tours to South Africa, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, and when Australia have played no Test matches away from home since the pandemic began, Pakistan have travelled all over the world (and, remember, there are no touring fees paid to the visitors these days). Pakistan have played the most number of matches away from home since Covid struck, by some distance," he said.