BCCI Responds to Michael Atherton’s Remarks on ICC’s India–Pakistan Fixture Planning

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday responded to former England captain Michael Atherton’s suggestion that the ICC should stop planning tournaments in a way that guarantees an India-Pakistan match. A BCCI official, quoted by an Indian news outlet, said it’s easy to make such suggestions, but pointed out that broadcasters would never agree to skip the high-profile clash between the two rivals.

“It’s easy to make such comments, but will sponsors and broadcasters agree?” a BCCI official said, as quoted in the report. “In today’s time, if any major team not just India pulls out of a tournament, it becomes hard to attract sponsors.”

Atherton’s comments come after last month’s Asia Cup, where India and Pakistan met three times, including in the final. The tournament saw plenty of tense moments, with emotions running high on both sides. However, India handled the pressure better and came out on top when it mattered most. While some incidents grabbed headlines, many fans believe the focus should stay on India’s strong performance and sportsmanship rather than the off-field controversies.

‘Business Over Sport’: Atherton Questions ICC’s Motives

The tension also carried over to the women’s game, as captains Fatima Sana and Harmanpreet Kaur did not shake hands after their World Cup match in Colombo. In his column for The Times (UK), Michael Atherton said the ICC includes India-Pakistan games in big tournaments for business and political reasons. These matches may be intense, but they bring huge attention to cricket and India continues to handle them with pride and maturity.

“Despite its rarity or perhaps because of it the fixture carries huge economic clout. It is one of the main reasons why ICC tournament broadcast rights are valued so highly, around $3 billion for the 2023–27 cycle,” Atherton wrote.

“If cricket was once a vehicle for diplomacy, it has now clearly become a proxy for broader tensions and propaganda. There is little justification for a serious sport to manipulate tournament fixtures purely for economic benefit. Given how the rivalry is being exploited, there is even less reason to continue this practice.” he added.

“For the next broadcast rights cycle, the fixture draw should be transparent and if India and Pakistan don’t meet every time, so be it."