Pakistan and India could meet on the cricket field again as the International Cricket Council (ICC) looks at staging a tri-series or four-team tournament involving the two arch-rivals, media reports have stated.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has pushed for a multi-nation tournament with India for several years, and the idea has picked up fresh momentum ahead of an ICC seminar on the Future Tours Programme.
The seminar is set to take place in Dubai on September 22 and 23, with representatives from all 12 Test-playing nations and eight associate members expected to attend.
One of the key topics up for discussion is whether multi-nation series offer better financial returns than standard bilateral ODI or T20I fixtures. Organisers believe adding more teams to a tournament could boost commercial appeal and give broadcasters a stronger package to sell.
Under the model being discussed, Pakistan and India would be joined by one or two other teams to form a multi-nation tournament designed to draw major broadcasting and sponsorship interest.
A Pakistan-India match remains one of the biggest draws in world cricket, pulling in large television audiences and significant revenue. Political tensions between the two countries have kept them from playing a bilateral series for more than a decade.
Their last bilateral series took place in 2013. Since then they have only met in multi-nation events run by the ICC and the Asian Cricket Council.
Reports say that if the plan advances to approval, a Pakistan-India multi-nation series would likely be hosted at a neutral venue, with the UAE, England or Australia mentioned as possible locations.
