Legendary pacer Wasim Akram is in favor of India and Pakistan playing Test cricket again. Akram expressed his ambition for the two nations to play red ball matches against one another ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, where they will be competing in Twenty20 International matches.
The last Test match between India and Pakistan was during Younis Khan’s team’s trip of India in 2007. With more over 500 runs and a 1-0 victory in the three-match series, Sourav Ganguly was the series’ star.
When India and Pakistan resume their Test matches, it will be a historic event, according to Akram, who claimed cricket fans around the world love watching the archrivals play each other.
“This Asia Cup will be a feast for fans worldwide. It’s my wish that India and Pakistan also resume playing a Test series. It’s been too long, and it would be a historic spectacle for fans on both sides,” Wasim Akram told Telecom Asia Sport in an interview.
Due to cross-border tensions, India and Pakistan have not played bilateral cricket since 2014. Following the Pahalgam terror assault in 2025, the Indian government responded quickly with Operation Sindoor and increased counter-terrorism efforts.
The Asia Cup match drew harsh criticism from supporters and analysts who wished to sever ties with Pakistan because of the continuing tense relations between the two nations.
In a formal directive, the Indian government stated that it would not prohibit Indian players from competing against Pakistan in multilateral competitions, regardless of their discipline.
“With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interest of our own sportspersons. It is also relevant to take into account India’s emergence as a credible venue to host international sports events,” the Sports Ministry said.
The strategy also emphasized India’s growing reputation as a reliable location for international competitions and pledged to streamline visa requirements for athletes, team captains, technical staff, and office holders of international sports governing bodies.
“To position India as a preferred destination for hosting international sporting events, the visa process for sportspersons, team officials, technical personnel, and office-bearers of International Sports Governing Bodies shall be simplified. Specifically, office-bearers of these bodies will be granted multi-entry visas on a priority basis for the duration of their official tenure, subject to a maximum period of five years,” the Sports Ministry said.
“This will facilitate their smooth movement into and within the country, in accordance with international norms. Due protocol and courtesies, as per established practice, shall be extended to the Heads of International Sports Governing Bodies.”
