The drama over ICC Champions Trophy’s venue has intensified ever since Team India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament was confirmed. Pakistan remain determined to host the entire tournament in the country but India are demanding a hybrid model for their matches. A cricket match between India and Pakistan isn’t just a revenue-driving model for the two countries but also the global cricketing spectrum that relies on money earned by the International Cricket Council in events like these to drive their revenue shares.

For Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali, sharing his candid take on the matter, feels hybrid model is the only possibility of India and Pakistan are to play in the Champions Trophy.

“If cricket is to continue and the hybrid model is to be maintained, place Pakistan in one pool and India in the other. But neither the ICC nor the broadcasters will be happy with this, because this is an opportunity to make money,” Basit said on his YouTube channel.

Basit even called the world ‘foolish’ for putting an India vs Pakistan game in the same bracket as some other rivalries in the sport, including India vs Australia. He feels if cricket is to survive, India vs Pakistan matches are necessary.

“the world is stupid,” he added, calling the world “foolish” for elevating other series like the Ashes or India-Australia matchups to the same level.

“The world is foolish (the world is stupid) to say that The Ashes is amazing or that the India-Australia series is amazing; it’s not like that. As long as cricket is being played and Pakistan-India matches are happening, there will be money; otherwise, there won’t be,” Basit asserted.