India vs Pakistan matches are fixed: David Lloyd tears ICC to shreds with bold remark

Former England cricketer David Lloyd has lambasted the ICC for pre-fixing the schedules of India-Pakistan matches in the ICC tournaments. It is well known that India and Pakistan don't play against each other in bilateral series but only face either in Asia Cups or any other ICC tournament.

India and Pakistan last played a bilateral series in 2013 when Pakistan toured India for a T20I and an ODI series. Since then, both the teams have played against each other in every ICC event at least once, starting with the 2013 Champions Trophy.

They have been up against each other in every edition of the T20 World Cup, ODI World Cup, and the Champions Trophy since. This is because both these teams have been kept together deliberately in the same group by ICC due to the revenue it generates.

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David Lloyd blasts ICC for pre-fixing India-Pakistan matches

David Lloyd believes that while these matches are highly anticipated among the fans and broadcasters, they should not be pre-scheduled. During an interview with TalkSPORT, Lloyd revealed that he was against the idea of pre-scheduling the fixtures. He also added that Cricket World Cup is itself an event and it cannot be fixed.

"Not in the slightest. You just spoke about the independence of the fixtures. We talk long and hard about fixing in cricket. That's fixed. It's just fixed for a major event. I think the romance of anything like this if they do get drawn together – not that they are – but if they do, there is a romance to it," Lloyd said.

"There's something for spectators to look forward to. So if it happens, then it becomes an event. The game itself is an event. You can't fix it. And that's only part of what we fix. We fix loads to stuff. In this particular World Cup, you're just trying to manipulate. It's just wrong,” the former cricketer-turned-commentator added.

'They would watch anything there and anytime' - David Lloyd

David Lloyd also spoke about the issue in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 where all the India matches have been scheduled to accommodate prime-time viewing in India. This is the reason why India are not scheduled to play any night games in this tournament. Lloyd called this unfair on the other teams.

"It just isn't fair (to the teams)," he said. "You can go round and round and talk about forever. We're just manipulating the tournament for the benefit of a few. If you look at the TV audience in India, they would watch anything there and anytime. It is a religion. It is the be all and end all. They would watch it and so it must of such commercial value, that overrides the competition itself," Lloyd opined.

And don't tell me the ICC devises it. Who does it? Whoever it is, this operating group must be told that whilst you're doing it, this must happen, that must happen and that it's a bit unfair to the teams. Come up with the best World Cup you can, you can put together for the supporter," he added.

Not only in ICC tournaments, India and Pakistan are also grouped together in the Asia Cups as well. India and Pakistan recently played each other in the T20 World Cup 2024 in New York where India emerged victorious by 6 runs.