I fear for the players: Lalit Modi shuts door on India vs Pakistan bilateral series
Published - 16 Apr 2026, 04:21 PM | Updated - 16 Apr 2026, 04:25 PM
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An India vs Pakistan bilateral series continues to be a distant dream for the fans across the world. There have been ideas of the two teams facing each other outside ICC tournaments at neutral venues, but the BCCI has never supported the notion.
Now, former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi has made a strong statement on this India vs Pakistan bilateral series demand amidst the cold relations between the two countries.
Lalit Modi drops a big statement on India vs Pakistan series hopes
Modi has made it clear that a bilateral series between India and Pakistan is not likely to happen anytime soon, and even the idea of playing matches at a neutral venue does not look possible in the current situation because of the ongoing political tension between the two countries.
The former IPL chairman also noted that the game is getting affected heavily because of politics, especially on the Pakistan side.
He pointed out that if the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) were working completely independently without political interference, things could have been different.
Pakistan Cricket Board is so politicized: Lalit Modi
Lalit Modi told Michael Vaughan on a podcast, “I was the one that brought Pakistani players into the IPL, and then I had to move them after the 26/11 massacre in Bombay. The problem is if the Pakistan Cricket Board were independent and ran independently, if it weren't politically influenced, we would have some traction. But today the Pakistan Cricket Board is so politicized by the powers that be, and they are pulling the levers and making it political.”
He also shared concerns about player safety. The India vs Pakistan matches always bring high emotions and pressure, and with the current situation, Modi fears that things could become difficult for players both on and off the field. He said, “We have tension at that level, political level, and that is not going away. It's only going to get worse. So, I fear for the players.”
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India vs Pakistan series not possible in the near future!
The former IPL chairman ruled out any chance of the India vs Pakistan series for a long time. He added, “I fear that it may not be possible in the near future, primarily because of the politicization by the Pakistan Cricket Board in Pakistan, and unfortunately that's the way it is.”
Modi also shared his thoughts on the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) decision not to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026 due to security concerns. He feels they should not have tried to become a second Pakistan, as it has only added more tension in international cricket.
He signed off by saying. “I don't see an immediate solution right now, and you saw Bangladesh trying to get into it. They shouldn't have.”
Notably, India and Pakistan face each other only in the ICC events and Asia Cup, and even then, they don’t visit each other’s country for the matches. They last played a bilateral series in 2013.
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