Michael Atherton, a former England captain, has suggested that the intentional scheduling of matches between India and Pakistan at ICC tournaments should be stopped completely, as cricket has become a “proxy for wider tensions and propaganda.” Michael Atherton’s statement came after the very heated matches during the Asia Cup 2025, that was marred by off-field controversy.
Asia Cup 2025 Disputes Spark Michael Atherton’s Critique
The Asia Cup 2025 saw unique tensions between India and Pakistan. The Indian team refused to shake hands with their rivals during the Super 4 phase. After the match, the trophy presentation was spoiled when the Asian Cricket Council’s Pakistani President, Mohsin Naqvi, took the winner’s trophy away from Pakistan when India refused to accept it from him.
Michael Atherton called those “antics” an obvious example of why the ICC shouldn’t organize India vs Pakistan matches at big tournaments.
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“Neatly Arranged” Draws Undermine Cricket
In a scathing column for The Times, Michael Atherton wrote that draws have been “neatly arranged” since 2013 to ensure that India and Pakistan meet in the group stages of ICC tournaments.
“India and Pakistan have played each other in the group stage of every ICC event since 2013, which includes three 50-over World Cups, five T20 World Cups, and three Champions Trophies,” he said.
Atherton explained that these arrangements exist regardless of whether the initial stage is a single round-robin or multi-group format, and that they are primarily motivated by economic considerations rather than sporting merit.
Political Tensions Add Complexity
The tensions between the nations have heightened, especially in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in May, which resulted in the military operation of India. Bilateral cricket between the two nations has not occurred since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The Indian government reiterated a ban on bilateral sports before the Asia Cup 2025, even at a neutral venue; however, they expressed that there will be exceptions for multi-lateral events under the Olympic Charter. Michael Atherton said that the ICC had taken advantage of the tensions to reap high viewership and advertising dollars.
Economic Motives Behind ICC Scheduling
The India vs Pakistan fixture carries significant economic clout. According to Atherton:
“The broadcast rights for ICC tournaments are worth roughly USD 3 billion for the 2023–27 cycle. Due to the decline in bilateral matches, ICC events have grown in frequency and importance, and the India-Pakistan fixture is crucial to the balance sheets of those with no other stakes in the game.”
He criticized the tacit support of these arrangements, noting that the fixture is deliberately scheduled on neutral territory to maximize commercial returns, such as India hosting the Champions Trophy in Dubai.
Atherton’s Call for Transparent Draws
In an interview with Michael Atherton, Ind vs Pak, Asia Cup 2025, he asserted that ICC should have a merit-based and transparent draw in the next broadcast rights cycle:
“If cricket might have previously had some element of diplomacy, it is now being used as a proxy for wider tensions. There is little merit for arranging fixtures for economic purposes, and there is even less merit now that the rivalry is being capitalized on. The fixture draw should be transparent. If the two sides don’t meet every time, that’s life.”
Atherton’s criticism has prompted a broader conversation about the relationship between commercial interests, sporting integrity, and diplomacy. Although matches between India vs Pakistan command a massive audience, other critics believe that it is a contravention of the spirit of the game to play such matches on political tension
In the future, ICC may want to re-examine the way these fixtures are planned to ensure that integrity and fairness are maintained, although this is still subject to the demands of business and broadcasting.
Writer’s Take
Michael Atherton‘s comments regarding the scheduling practices employed by the ICC have opened up a debate not just about scheduling practices but about the role of cricket in international relations, and the ethics associated with the commercialization of cricket as well. The Asia Cup 2025 incidents showed that merely arranging for potential top-level representative matches, friends and foes, heated public and players’ sighted outcomes, can procure controversies that are larger than the game of cricket itself.
Meanwhile, moving on in our cricket journey, we need to promote the inherent integrity of the sport and move closer up in the best interests of our governance, and society as a whole. Only then does cricket completely fulfill its unifying mission, over the top political or currency outcomes.
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