Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has once again stirred the pot with his blunt assessment of the current cricketing standoff. Amidst reports that the PCB pushed for a bilateral series with India as a condition for future cooperation, Basit Ali has urged fans to face reality. His recent comments highlight the limitations of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in mediating between the two Asian giants.

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Basit Ali stated, "It's not the ICC's job to make India agree to play a bilateral series." He emphasised that the global body lacks the authority to mandate such tours. Furthermore, referencing the heated "handshake controversy", where Indian players reportedly skipped the post-match gesture, Basit remarked that a "handshake is not in the law of the ICC." This implies that while the act may be unsportsmanlike, it isn't a punishable offence, leaving the ICC powerless to intervene.

The tweet in question, "🚨 Basit Ali - It's not the ICC's job... But according to Pakistan X users, PCB didn't demand a bilateral series," drips with sarcasm. It exposes a contradiction: while an insider like Basit Ali discusses the rejection of these demands, many fans online are busy denying that the PCB ever asked for them. The X user mocks this narrative, using Basit’s "handshake" comment to illustrate just how little control the ICC actually has over the BCCI. If they can't ensure a handshake, they certainly can't ensure a cricket series.