India-Pakistan dialogue reopens: Cricket revival on the horizon as ministers meet

The foreign ministers of India and Pakistan, S Jaishankar and Muhammad Ishaq Dar, engaged in direct conversations for the first time since 2015.

These discussions, held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, have sparked speculation about the resumption of cricketing ties between the two countries, as per sources.

While these talks mark a potential thaw, insiders emphasize that the discussions remain in the very early stages and require careful consideration on both sides, given the strained relations over the past several years.

One concrete development from the discussions could be India’s participation in the Champions Trophy, scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in February 2025. The Indian team’s potential visit to Pakistan for the tournament has already been the subject of speculation.

The interactions between Jaishankar and Dar took place during a dinner hosted by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for SCO leaders. After an initial exchange of pleasantries, the two ministers continued their conversation during dinner, with sources confirming further dialogue at lunch the following day after the conclusion of the SCO plenary.

Though originally seated apart, instructions were given to Pakistani officials to position Jaishankar and Dar together, ensuring that their discussions could proceed uninterrupted. Cricket became a central theme during these talks, a game Jaishankar is known to be passionate about. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, who also chairs the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was involved in these discussions.

The main idea floated was the possibility of reviving cricketing ties, including the prospect of India’s cricket team visiting Pakistan. The upcoming Champions Trophy, set for February 19 to March 9, 2025, presents a potential window for this, though the talks are still in their infancy and will require further deliberation from both governments.

Despite the preliminary nature of these discussions, sources noted the positive atmosphere, contrasting sharply with the tense exchanges seen during the SCO meeting in Goa in 2023. At that time, Jaishankar had sharply criticized then-Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for his comments on Jammu and Kashmir. This time, the conversations were more restrained, with Pakistani ministers adhering to diplomatic talking points, and Jaishankar maintaining a measured tone.

Notably, Pakistan’s current deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, has significantly influenced the Pakistani establishment. A close ally of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and part of the Sharif family through marriage, Dar is seen as a key figure in Pakistani politics and diplomacy, representing the interests of the influential Sharif family.

Efforts from the PCB to facilitate India’s participation in the Champions Trophy have intensified in recent months. The PCB has presented the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) with several options regarding the schedule for India’s first cricket tour to Pakistan in 17 years. Initially, the PCB planned for India’s group-stage matches to be held in Lahore, but broadcasters expressed interest in seeing India play at additional venues, prompting the PCB to suggest Rawalpindi as a possible alternative.

The PCB has also attempted to accommodate India’s concerns, offering a schedule that allows the Indian team to return home after each game if desired, further easing any logistical or political hurdles.

While the resumption of cricket between the two nations remains a delicate topic, these early talks offer hope for not only sporting ties but potentially easing broader tensions between India and Pakistan.