India-Pakistan clash is the one common factor in recent ICC events, with a familiar grouping of the arch-rivals India and Pakistan. This is now being questioned by former players like Michael Atherton, who has slammed the ICC and has accused the ICC of rigging India-Pakistan clashes for profit. Michael Atherton criticizes ICC for “Manufactured” India-Pakistan Matches, questioning the integrity of the game.
The article will explain further on Ex-English Captain Michael Atherton’s sharp comment, the commercial and political undertones of an India-Pakistan clash, and how it has impacted the game, and what reforms are required.
Introduction
The India-Pakistan rivalry in cricket carries huge emotional and political undercurrents along with the financial weight of an India-Pakistan cricket match. The world stops whenever the two meet in an ICC event, with the game watched by millions in packed stadiums. The game is not just a game anymore. Several India-Pakistan matches in recent years have seen tense moments, hostile crowds, and even threats to players online.
According to former England captain and renowned cricket analyst Michael Atherton, this spectacle may no longer be purely organic.
In a bold critique, Atherton recently accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of “manufacturing” the India-Pakistan matchups in major tournaments purely for profit, rather than allowing them to occur naturally through fair competition. His comments have sparked widespread discussion about the balance between entertainment and ethics in cricket.
Atherton’s Key Comments on India-Pakistan Draws
Michael Atherton’s observation has opened a Pandoras Box and has exposed the management of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in managing tournament schedules
Let us explore the former captain’s views
- There is a financial angle to every India-Pakistan game, which is deliberately scheduled to maximize commercially.
- The India-Pakistan matches are not grouped according to any draws and are “arranged affairs” grouped intentionally to guarantee high viewership.
- Due to the political tensions between the two nations, the match becomes a “proxy for propaganda” and less about the actual game.
- The fixtures should be dictated by merit and not to suit any marketing strategies for the Broadcasters.
- The former captain believes that the draws need to be transparent and randomized, even if that means the India-Pakistan teams don’t meet every time.
The former captain was critical of his observation when in the recently concluded 2025 Asia Cup, the tournament saw India-Pakistan clashing in 3 ocassions, 1 in the group stage, 2nd in the super 4s stage and 3rd in the Finals. It was a clear case of overexposure making the tournament more of a money-making tournament ultimately damaging the integrity of the sport.
There is merit to Michael Atherton ICC criticism
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been guilty of manipulating the tournament fixture to serve the broadcasters and sponsors. When the draws are rigged to ensure marketing benefits, it affects the credibility of ICC Tournaments.
Atherton questions whether ICC events are being manipulated to serve television networks and sponsors rather than fans and players. If draws are rigged or made up to have high-profile games created for the tournament, especially an India-Pakistan game, then the ICC tournament loses its credibility of being a fair competition, a reason ideally why games are played in the first place.
There is a deliberate overhyping of the India-Pakistan rivalries months before the competition from players and broadcasters. While cricket has become a multibillion-dollar industry, the biggest catalyst is the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry, which generates millions in advertising revenue for the broadcasters. Due to this, broadcasters push such matches and influence fixtures, which the ICC shockingly obliges.
From a proud sporting rivalry tradition, cricket has now become a mere transactional event.
India has stopped playing bilateral cricket with Pakistan post the Mumbai terror attack and political ties between the two countries have gone from bad to worse. Cricket played in a multi-nation tournament is one of the few avenues left for direct engagement between the two countries. But instead of being a bridge, Atherton believes the game is becoming a platform for political messaging and propaganda.
Drama during the recent Asia Cup:
The Asia Cup was conducted just months after the Pahalgam Terror Attack in India, killing innocents. There was tremendous pressure from the Indian cricket fans to boycott the Asia Cup. An angered Indian public wanted nothing to do with Pakistan and wanted India to cut all sporting ties with Pakistan completely.
Due to India’s global aspiration in sports, including the Olympics, India did not boycott the Asia Cup, much to the disappointment of many nationalist cricket fans in India.
During the India-Pakistan game, many fans boycotted the first game. Political tensions were visible, and unwanted gesThe tures from the Pakistan players made matters worse. The Pakistan team was beaten comprehensively three times in the tournament.
As a symbolic gesture, Indian players refused to shake hands with the Pakistan players post-match and declined to accept the Asia Cup trophy from ACC chief, Mohsin Naqvi as he held the post of the interior minister of Pakistan.
Patterns That Raise Questions
Atherton believes that the games are manufactured to suit the broadcasters, as the two nations only now meet at ICC and ACC events.
Recent Tournaments where there is the recurring presence of India-Pakistan teams in the same group to force multiple encounters:
- ICC World Cup (2015, 2019, 2023)
- T20 World Cup (2016, 2021, 2022)
- Asia Cup (multiple editions, including 2025)
In the 2025 Asia Cup alone, India-Pakistan faced off three times, raising eyebrows across the cricketing world.
Some Changes that can be explored
- ICC tournament draws should be scientific and publicly aired. This can add credibility to ICC events.
- Limit Frequency of India-Pakistan Rivalry Matches by placing them in different groups and let India-Pakistan matches occur naturally, even if that means they meet only in knockouts or not at all in a tournament.
- Ranked Based Scheduling
-
Reduce political symbolism around post-match ceremonies and interactions.
Summary
ICC has been found guilty of monetizing the India-Pakistan rivalry that has undermined the sanctity of the event. ICC is now being told by many to implement an open and transparent group draws, similar to the FIFA World Cup.
But a section of the cricket fraternity still believes that the sports require money to grow. Broadcasters and sponsors need blockbuster games like India-Pakistan, which engages with the audience and also help in financial sustainability.
Atherton believes that less is more when it comes to such emotionally charged games.
While we at Supersports do not believe that Atherton can fully fathom the true gravity and the enormity of the situation of an India-Pakistan encounter, but do agree that the rivalry has been overplayed. When a sport allows itself to be dictated by television ratings and political undercurrents, its core values are at risk.
While India-Pakistan games have been historically well-fought games, recent games have shown a growing imbalance, with India easily being the stronger team both in the men’s and women’s games. What is left is the public posturing and rhetoric from both sides, which undermines the spirit of sportsmanship and fuels nationalistic sentiments while the ICC looks the other way.
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