India Demands Full Halt to Pakistan Cricket Ties

After a terror attack in Pahalgam, India, that killed 26 people, Indian cricket head coach Gautam Gambhir called for a complete halt to all sporting and cultural ties with Pakistan—including all cricket matches at ICC and Asia Cup events—until cross-border terrorism ends. Gambhir stressed no interactions, even in Bollywood or culture, should continue while national security is threatened, but acknowledged the final decision lies with the Indian government and BCCI. Sunil Gavaskar noted that the political situation could prevent Pakistan's participation in the Asia Cup, as BCCI generally follows government guidance. Former Pakistani cricketers including Javed Miandad, Iqbal Qasim, and Basit Ali strongly criticized these remarks, calling them 'stupid' and divisive, and warned against dragging politics into sports. Pakistan's ODI captain Mohammad Rizwan reiterated that cricketing ties should continue despite political tensions. The exchange reflects the deepening politicization of India-Pakistan cricket amid ongoing geopolitical hostilities.