Sports acts as a glue among nations and enhances connectivity among people worldwide. However, India has been politicizing sports, especially cricket, to showcase their monopoly over cricket for decades. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is securing a big chunk, 38.5% of the total revenue of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and exploiting its posture in the ICC’s decision. On September 30, the women’s cricket World Cup is scheduled in India. However, despite their monopoly, Pakistan shifted its matches to Sri Lanka, a diplomatic win for Pakistan. Pakistan discourages involvement of politics in sports, but due to India’s denial of coming to Pakistan in 2025 Champion trophy on the pretext of security reasons. The event exacerbated the tension between the two nations and made the future of cricket uncertain.
Pakistan has secured the venue for the Women’s World Cup 2025 matches in Sri Lanka despite India being the official host. This decision reflects security concerns and India-Pakistan bilateral relations, particularly after the 2019 dissolution of Article 370. Pakistan worked closely with the ICC to emphasize the importance of athlete safety and non-politicization in international sports. This compromise aims to protect players from potential misfortune but also suggests that Pakistan manipulates multilateral bodies to counter India’s hegemonic stance.
The ICC has permitted Pakistan to use Sri Lanka as a neutral ground for their Women’s World Cup quadrennial events, demonstrating acceptance of security reasons and principled policies. Pakistan resorted to hectoring diplomacy to enlist international assistance and put multilateral pressure, thus encouraging procedural fairness in the environment of regional animosities. As both the official host of the event and the most powerful country in the region, India did not manage to ensure the safety of the Pakistani players, and such behavior repeats the old patterns of politicization. Still, the positive role of Pakistan in response to this event proves a change in the way the country establishes its relationships with other states and proves its interpretation of global norms. The episode, therefore, shows the increasing usefulness of sport as a tool of strategic diplomacy.
Pakistan’s decision to host the 2025 women cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka demonstrates its ability to pursue national interests without a hard approach, enhancing its image of international security and global fairness. Pakistan’s involvement in the tournament demonstrates its commitment to regional stability and international fairness, demonstrating responsible diplomacy and diversity in the international sporting arena.
ICC has accepted the request amidst security concerns and diplomatic representation by pronouncing Sri Lanka a neutral venue to host the women’s matches of the World Cup played by Pakistan. Seven countries of the federation are now anticipated to step up efforts to reintegrate Pakistan and Player X. The failure of India to ensure the safety of the Pakistani contingent reminds one of some previous politicized incidents, especially when Pakistan pulled out of bilateral series after the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Still, the episode outlines a path towards positive international relations and introduces Pakistan as a stakeholder that adheres to the norms. In this regard, the sport is gradually understood as a new tool of strategic diplomacy.
The move strengthens Pakistan’s international image by promoting regional stability and fair play. It also strengthens Pakistan’s position as a sponsor of inclusivity and equity in the global sporting field demonstrating its pragmatism and regional stability. This move signifies a long-term approach to promoting justice and inclusion in world sports, as sports can lead to inter-political continuity.
Equity, player safety, and institution integrity support the reasoning behind that agreement, ideals that directly challenge Indo-hegemonic power relationships. A game like cricket, free of any open-handedness, is a means of cross-border cooperation and diplomacy. Therefore, the South Asian cricketing legacy can only be refreshed through cooperation rather than confrontation, which is Pakistan’s core policy.
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