However, according to ANI sources, no formal discussion took place regarding the revival of bilateral cricket matches, despite the ongoing diplomatic engagements.
Jaishankar was in Islamabad to attend the 23rd Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government, marking the first visit by an Indian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly nine years.
Since the 2008 Asia Cup, India has not played a cricket tournament in Pakistan due to the strained relations between the two nations, largely stemming from issues related to terrorism. The last bilateral series occurred in India from December 2012 to January 2013, with the two sides only meeting in ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup since then. Pakistan has made three tours to India since the 2008 Asia Cup, but India has yet to visit its neighbours.
In a separate development, diplomatic engagements took place on the sidelines of the SCO summit. According to Times of India sources, Jaishankar had “casual conversations” with both Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar during his stay in Islamabad.
While Indian government sources described the exchanges as informal, Pakistan’s officials, as per TOI, noted that a brief pull-aside between Jaishankar and Dar lasted around five to seven minutes at a dinner hosted by Sharif. Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was reportedly part of these discussions, suggesting the idea of resuming bilateral cricket ties as a potential icebreaker between the two nations.Despite the absence of formal talks on cricket, Naqvi was quoted as calling Jaishankar’s visit an “ice-breaker.”
With Pakistan set to host the ICC Champions Trophy next year, India’s participation remains uncertain. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is reportedly considering three options: holding the tournament in Pakistan as scheduled, employing a hybrid model that splits matches between Pakistan and the UAE, or relocating the entire tournament outside of Pakistan, with Dubai, Sri Lanka, or South Africa as potential alternative venues.
Pakistan is keen for India’s participation in next year’s ICC Champions Trophy, as it would mark the first major international tournament hosted by Pakistan since the 1996 ODI World Cup, which it co-hosted with India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan had been slated to co-host the 2011 edition, but its hosting rights were revoked after the 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore.
Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it clear that the Indian team’s participation in the Champions Trophy relies solely upon government nod.
(With inputs from TOI and ANI)
