London: Former England captain Michael Atherton has called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to make its tournament draw system more transparent, arguing that the repeated placement of India and Pakistan in the same group raises questions about fairness and commercial influence. His remarks follow the controversies surrounding the 2025 Asia Cup, which once again saw cricket overshadowed by political tensions between the two nations.
Atherton, now a respected commentator and columnist, voiced his concerns in a column for The Times, suggesting that the ICC has been prioritising financial gains over sporting integrity by ensuring frequent India-Pakistan clashes.
Concerns over ICC’s tournament draw system
India and Pakistan have been drawn into the same group in almost every ICC event for over a decade. The ICC has never fully disclosed how its group selection process works, unlike other major global sports tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup or the Olympics.
“The ICC’s group selection process remains largely unexplained,” Atherton wrote. “If cricket was once the vehicle for diplomacy, it is now, clearly, a proxy for broader tensions and for propaganda.”
He added that while these fixtures attract massive global audiences, their repetitive scheduling appears deliberate, aimed at boosting broadcasting revenues rather than maintaining the sport’s competitive balance.
Financial stakes behind the India-Pakistan rivalry
Matches between India and Pakistan are among the most watched sporting events in the world, often drawing audiences of over 200 million viewers. The ICC’s broadcasting rights, reportedly worth around $3 billion for the 2023–27 cycle, owe much of their value to these high-profile encounters.
“Despite its scarcity (maybe, in part, because of its scarcity), it is a fixture that carries huge economic clout,” Atherton noted. “It is one of the main reasons why the broadcast rights for ICC tournaments are worth so much.”
Atherton pointed out that the Asia Cup format, governed by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), is specifically designed to guarantee multiple India-Pakistan encounters. In the 2025 edition, both teams met several times within a month — a pattern seen in recent years as well.
The ACC has defended its decision, stating that revenue from these matches supports grassroots cricket across Asia. However, critics like Atherton argue that this financial dependence compromises the sport’s credibility.
Cricket and politics: A complex relationship
The 2025 Asia Cup was marred by political undertones, following border tensions and a recent terror attack that reignited hostility between India and Pakistan. Statements from officials on both sides only deepened the divide, making the cricket field an extension of diplomatic posturing.
Atherton observed that “the sport once seen as a bridge between the two nations has now become a tool for political propaganda.”
He emphasised that cricket should remain independent of political influences, and the ICC must uphold its role as a neutral governing body. “There is little justification for a serious sport to arrange tournament fixtures to suit its economic needs,” he wrote.
Call for reform and greater accountability
Atherton’s comments have sparked a wider debate among cricket analysts and fans. Many have echoed his demand for transparency and fairness in tournament scheduling.
He proposed that future ICC tournament draws should be conducted publicly, similar to other sports, to eliminate doubts about bias. “For the next broadcast rights cycle, the fixture draw before ICC events should be transparent — and if the two teams do not meet every time, so be it,” he concluded.
While the ICC has not issued an official response, insiders maintain that group compositions are based on rankings and commercial strategy, balancing competitiveness with viewer interest. However, Atherton’s remarks have reignited calls for the sport’s governing body to restore trust and prioritise sporting integrity over profit.
The road ahead
As the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup approaches, the issue of how fixtures are determined is likely to remain in focus. With the India-Pakistan rivalry continuing to dominate the sport’s commercial narrative, the ICC faces the challenge of striking a balance between financial sustainability and fair play.
Atherton’s intervention highlights a crucial debate for world cricket — whether the sport can resist the pressures of politics and profit to uphold its true spirit of competition.