India vs Pakistan bilateral series remains a distant dream for fans around the world. There have been thoughts that the two teams will face each other at neutral venues outside ICC tournaments, but the BCCI has never supported this notion.
Now, amid cold relations between the two countries, former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has given a strong statement on the demand for India vs Pakistan bilateral series.
Lalit Modi gave a big statement on the expectations of India vs Pakistan series
Modi has made it clear that a bilateral series between India and Pakistan is unlikely in the near future and the idea of ​​playing the match at a neutral venue does not seem feasible in the current situation due to the ongoing political tension between the two countries.
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The former IPL chairman also said that the game is being greatly affected by politics, especially Pakistan.
He pointed out that if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had been working completely independently without political interference, things could have been different.
Pakistan Cricket Board has become so politicized: Lalit Modi
Lalit Modi told Michael Vaughan on the podcast, “I was the one who brought Pakistani players to the IPL, and then I had to move them after the 26/11 carnage in Bombay. The problem is that if the Pakistan Cricket Board was independent and ran independently, if it was not politically influenced, we would have had some traction. But today the Pakistan Cricket Board is politicized by those powers, and they are pulling the levers and politicizing it.”
He also shared concerns regarding the safety of the players. India vs Pakistan matches always bring high emotions and pressure, and with the current situation, Modi fears things may get difficult for the players on and off the field. “We have tension at that level, at the political level, and that is not going away. It is getting worse. So, I fear for the players,” he said.
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India vs Pakistan series not possible in near future!
The former IPL chairman ruled out any possibility of an India vs Pakistan series for a long time. He further added, “I fear that this may not be possible in the near future, mainly because of politicization by the Pakistan Cricket Board in Pakistan, and unfortunately that’s the way it is.”
Modi also shared his views on the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) decision not to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026 due to security concerns. He believes that they should not have tried to become another Pakistan, as this would have further increased the tension in international cricket.
Saying this he signed. “I don’t see any immediate solution right now, and you have seen Bangladesh trying to get involved in this. They should not have done that.”
Notably, India and Pakistan only face each other in ICC events and the Asia Cup and even then, they do not visit each other’s country for matches. He last played a bilateral series in 2013.
