A bilateral Test series between India and Pakistan remains highly unlikely despite the proposed ICC World Test Championship (WTC) changes. According to the latest reports, Political tensions continue to block regular cricket ties, while any future bilateral series will require official approval from both governments.
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral Test series in the last 19 years. The two rivals played consecutive Test series between 2004 and 2007 during a rare period of regular cricketing ties. Pakistan’s 2007 tour of India remains the last bilateral red-ball series between the neighboring nations.
India vs Pakistan Test Series Confirmed? WTC Expansion Report Reveals Major Update
According to a report by The Guardian, under the proposed new World Test Championship format drafted by an International Cricket Council working group, teams will receive greater freedom in scheduling matches. The proposal does not require every team to play against all other participating nations.
This structural change protects the Board of Control for Cricket in India from facing penalties for not playing bilateral series against Pakistan. The ICC has no authority to force a bilateral series between the two nations without approval from both governments. Also, England will not be playing against Afghanistan.
The proposed expansion requires each team to play 12 championship matches against at least eight different opponents during a two-year cycle. The top two teams in the points table will qualify for the WTC final, scheduled every odd year.
India and Pakistan Haven’t Played Each Other Since 2012-13
Following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, the bilateral cricket relationship between India and Pakistan suffered major damage. The two nations have not played a bilateral series since Pakistan’s limited-overs tour of India during the 2012-13 season.
Due to political tensions after incidents like the Pulwama attack, a neutral-venue Test series remains unlikely. Both the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Pakistan Cricket Board continue to refuse travel to each other’s countries.
As a result, India and Pakistan now meet only in major tournaments organized by the International Cricket Council and the Asian Cricket Council. However, the rivalry has become less competitive in recent years, with Pakistan managing only three wins over India across the last nine years.
India and Pakistan’s Performances in WTC History
India and Pakistan have produced contrasting performances in the WTC. India remained one of the strongest teams during the first three cycles, reaching the final in both the 2019-2021 and 2021-2023 editions. However, they lost to New Zealand in Southampton and Australia at The Oval.
India narrowly missed another final in the 2023-2025 cycle after finishing third with a 50% points percentage following a home whitewash against New Zealand and a difficult Australia tour. They are currently sixth in the ongoing 2025-2027 cycle with 48.15%.
Pakistan, meanwhile, struggled throughout most WTC cycles. They finished fifth in 2019-2021 and dropped to seventh in 2021-2023 after home defeats against Australia and England.
Pakistan ended last in the 2023-2025 cycle with 27.98%, suffering a home whitewash against Bangladesh and a series loss to the West Indies. In the current cycle, they sit fifth with 50% after defeating South Africa by 93 runs in Lahore.
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