ICC does not have power to pursue BCCI: Wasim Akram

Former Pakistan seamer Wasim Akram has reflected that International Cricket Council (ICC) is powerless in front of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), as it cannot foster a deal between the latter and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for a bilateral series.

"I don't think ICC has the power to pursue BCCI, but again I have always said people to people contact is necessary. Politics and sport should be separate," Geo News quoted Akram, as saying.

The 51-year-old pacer also expressed, it is very unfortunate that the current players from both the sides are missing out on playing against each other.

Akram said an India-Pakistan series is more exciting to watch than the Ashes series played between England and Australia.

"A Pakistan India match is more fun to watch than the Ashes. 20 million people watch the Ashes while a Pakistan India match is watched by a billion people," the skipper said.

In 2014, BCCI and PCB signed an agreement to play six bilateral series between 2015 and 2023; however, the series have not been materialised yet in wake of political tensions between the two countries.

The last time the two rivals clashed against each other was in the ICC Champions Trophy final in June earlier this year, where the Sarfraz Ahmed-led side conceded a 180 run defeat to the Virat-Kohli led team.