Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley
Cricket Australia (CA) is keen on hosting a cricket series between India and Pakistan if both the Indian and Pakistani cricket boards agree to it. This would be the first time in 12 years that these two teams would face each other in a bilateral contest. The series could take place in November, alongside India and Pakistan’s scheduled tours to Australia. India will have a five-match Test series starting on November 22 in Perth, and Pakistan will have a three-game ODI and T20I series.
The idea of hosting such a series gained momentum after the hugely successful India vs. Pakistan match during the 2022 T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). This match, witnessed by a crowd of 90,293, saw an exciting finish, with Virat Kohli playing a memorable innings. Now, CA, the MCG’s operators, and the Victorian government are interested in hosting a series between the two rivals at the MCG for financial gain.
Nick Hockley, CEO of CA, expressed his enthusiasm for hosting the India-Pakistan series at the MCG if given the chance, citing the electric atmosphere of the previous match. However, he emphasized that, ultimately, it’s up to the cricket boards of both countries to make it happen.
Peter Roach, CA’s head of scheduling, mentioned that they are open to hosting a tri-series involving India, Pakistan, and Australia, akin to what happened in the 1999-2000 season. However, due to the current schedule constraints, there needs to be room for such a series. Nonetheless, CA remains interested in exploring such opportunities in the future.
