In the wake of horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir that claimed the lives of 26 innocent tourists, India launched a strong military retaliation named ‘Operation Sindoor’. The operation targeted the terrorist bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir which has now led to increase in tensions between both the nations. The national sentiment is running high and the political atmosphere has become even more hostile. With these tensions increasing another aspect that will be affected is cricket. Now the big question that arises is whether both the nations will ever play against each other or not.
India-Pakistan Tensions In Cricket
Historically, cricket is the first to be affected when there’s a political tension between India and Pakistan. India has already banned bilateral cricket relations with Pakistan since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, with the resumption for a brief period in 2012 for an ODI series. Now the two nations only meet in ICC events and Asia Cup.
Asia Cup And T20 World Cup In Doubt?
The Asia Cup is all set to be held in September and it is likely to face serious disruptions after increasing tension between India and Pakistan. In the T20 World Cup which is scheduled for 2026 is all set to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka, this means that if the tensions keep on escalating then there is a very high possibility that both the nations will not play against each other.
With no sign of diplomatic downscaling, India-Pakistan cricketing relations appear to be worsening day by day. Any hopes of meetings in future tournaments will be reconsidered by the BCCI, the ICC, and the Asian Cricket Council, especially from security and political points of view.
Also Read: What Is DLS Method In Cricket? Here’s How It Was Used In Mumbai Indians Vs Gujarat Titans Match!
Indian Cricketers Demand For Complete Boycott
With Pakistan’s increasing terror activities and innocent killings, the sentiment has shifted and many Indian cricketers have demanded for a complete boycott/ban of India-Pakistan matches. Gautam Gambhir, Sourav Ganguly, Shreevats Goswani and others have openly echoed the opinion. The strong reactions from cricketing community has reflected significant shift in perspective and with the political tensions rising the cricketing ties between both the nations are likely to be reconsidered.
