New Delhi– Former Indian cricketer Shreevats Goswami has called on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to end all cricketing ties with Pakistan in the wake of the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that left at least 26 people dead and several others injured.
The attack occurred Tuesday in Baisaran Valley, a picturesque meadow near the popular tourist town of Pahalgam, about 30 miles southeast of Srinagar. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-based terror outfit and offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for what has become one of the deadliest attacks in the region in recent years.
Athletes across the country have condemned the attack, expressing solidarity with the victims and their families. Among them, Goswami took to social media to issue a passionate plea to the BCCI, urging it to cut all cricketing ties with Pakistan — including matches in international tournaments.
“And this is exactly why I say — you don’t play cricket with Pakistan. Not now. Not ever,” Goswami wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “When the BCCI or the government refused to send India to the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, some had the audacity to say, ‘Oh, but sport should rise above politics.’ From where I stand, murdering innocent Indians seems to be Pakistan’s national sport. And if that’s how they play, then it’s time we respond in a language they truly understand. Not with bats and balls. But with resolve. With dignity. With zero tolerance.”
Reflecting on his own experiences in Kashmir, Goswami continued, “I’m furious. I’m devastated. Just a few months ago, I was in Kashmir for the Legends League. I walked through Pahalgam, met the locals, saw hope returning to their eyes. It felt like peace had finally found its way back. And now… this bloodshed again. It breaks something inside you. It makes you question how many more times we’re expected to stay silent, stay ‘sporting,’ while our people die. No more. Not this time.”
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral cricket series since 2012–13 and only face off in International Cricket Council (ICC) events. Recently, the BCCI refused to send the Indian team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, instead opting to play their matches in Dubai, including the final against New Zealand.
In another post, Goswami urged Indian players competing in the ongoing IPL 2025 season to wear black armbands throughout the week in honor of those killed in the Pahalgam attack.
“Requesting all Indian players in the IPL to wear a black armband this week at least, in memory of the innocent lives lost in Kashmir,” Goswami wrote. “Play the game, but let the world know. Cricket reaches millions across borders — this small gesture can spread awareness and show solidarity. It’s the least we can do.”
Responding to the call, players and umpires will wear black armbands during Wednesday’s IPL 2025 match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Sources told IANS that a one-minute silence will also be observed before the start of the game as a tribute to the victims of the Pahalgam attack. (Source: IANS)
