Want India-Pakistan to resume Test cricket: Wasim Akram

Legendary fast bowler Wasim Akram wants India and Pakistan to resume playing Test cricket. Speaking ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, where the two countries will be playing T20I matches between themselves, Akram wished that the two countries would play red ball matches against each other.

India and Pakistan last played a Test match when Younis Khan's team toured India. Sourav Ganguly starred in that series, scoring over 500 runs and helping India to a 1-0 win in the 3-match series.

Akram said that cricket fans all across the world enjoy when India and Pakistan play each other and it would be a historic spectacle when the two countries resume their Test ties.

“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.

India and Pakistan do not play bilateral cricket since 2014 due to cross-border tensions between the countries. In 2025, after the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian government heightened its counter-terrorism measures, giving a prompt reply with Operation Sindoor.

With relationships still strained between the countries, the Asia Cup fixture found a lot of criticism from fans and experts, who wanted to break ties with Pakistan.

Indian Government's Stand

However, the Indian government, in an official diktat, said that it would not stop Indian players across disciplines from playing against Pakistani players in multilateral events.

"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 policy also highlighted India's emergence as a credible venue for international sports and committed to simplifying visa procedures for sportspersons, team officials, technical personnel, and office-bearers 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."