Overview
- Writing in The Times, Michael Atherton urges the ICC to halt engineered groupings and to conduct transparent draws even if India and Pakistan do not face off at every event.
- He ties the repeated matchup to financial incentives, noting ICC tournament broadcast rights for 2023–27 are valued at roughly $3 billion.
- Coverage notes India and Pakistan have been placed in the same group at every ICC event since 2013.
- Atherton’s call follows the Asia Cup controversies, including India’s handshake refusals, provocative on-field gestures by Pakistan players, and India declining a trophy presentation from ACC/PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.
- A BCCI official pushes back, arguing sponsors and broadcasters expect the fixture, and reports say the ICC has not offered a substantive public response.