Following a horrific terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists, Shreevats Goswami, a retired Indian cricketer, made a passionate call to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to end all cricket ties with Pakistan.
The attack by activists of The Resistance Front—a front organization of the outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—has seriously shaken the country, with all sections of society demanding strong action.
Venting on social media, Goswami mourned and was incensed, severely condemning the incident. He urged India to completely cut all sporting interaction with Pakistan, arguing that the reaction needs to be one of not through sport, but through strong, principled resistance.
"SAY NO TO CRICKET! And that's precisely why I say - you don't play cricket with Pakistan. Not now. Never.". When the government or BCCI declined to send India to the Champions Trophy in Pakistan, some had the temerity to utter, 'Oh, but sport must transcend politics.' Really? Because from where I am standing, killing innocent Indians appears to be their national sport. And if that's how they play - then it's time we take it up in a language that they really understand. Not bats and balls. But determination. With dignity. With zero tolerance," he tweeted on X (formerly Twitter).
Goswami also reminisced about a recent visit to Kashmir, speaking about his personal connection to the place and the grief he felt over the renewed violence. His visit during the Legends League had left him optimistic, he said, as he saw a sense of peace returning to the Valley.
"I'm furious. I'm devastated.". Only a few months back, I was in Kashmir for the Legends League - I strolled through Pahalgam, met the people, saw hope return to their eyes. There was a feeling that peace had finally returned. And now. this violence again. It shatters something within you. It makes you wonder how many more times we are supposed to remain quiet, remain 'sporting,' while our own people get killed. No more. Not this time," he had written.
As the emotional outcry continues to mount, the ball now lies in the BCCI and Indian government's court for any future cricketing dealings with Pakistan. The two nations have not contested a bilateral series since 2013, coming together only during international tournaments staged at neutral locations.
India had last toured Pakistan for the 2008 Asia Cup, while Pakistan's last tour of India came for the 2023 ODI World Cup. India has already rejected going to Pakistan for the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, opting to host all its matches in Dubai. In a similar vein, with India scheduled to host the Women's World Cup in October, there already exists an arrangement that sees India and Pakistan avoid going to one another's lands for ICC activities until 2028 at the earliest. Thus, Pakistan will play at a neutral location within the tournament.
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