Lahore, April 26, 2025 — Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has called for a complete cricketing boycott of Pakistan, following the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed the lives of several Indian security personnel.
Speaking to ANI, Ganguly said:
“100 per cent, this should be done. Strict action is necessary. It is no joke that such things happen every year. Terrorism cannot be tolerated.”
No Bilateral Cricket Since 2008
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral cricket series since 2008, following the Mumbai terror attacks. Since then, the two arch-rivals have only faced each other in multinational tournaments like the ICC Cricket World Cups (T20 & 50-over formats), ICC Champions Trophy, and Asia Cup organized by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC).
India’s Dominance Over Pakistan in ICC World Cups
India holds a dominant record over Pakistan in World Cup history:
50-over World Cup: India has won 8 out of 8 encounters
T20 World Cup: India leads 6-1 in head-to-head meetings
Who is Sourav Ganguly?
A cricketing legend, Sourav Ganguly captained India between 2000 and 2005, widely credited for instilling aggression and self-belief in a young Indian team. Under his leadership:
India reached the 2003 World Cup final
He scored 11,363 runs in ODIs and 7,212 runs in Tests
Later served as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from 2019 to 2022
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Other Cricketers Weigh In
While Ganguly has taken a firm stance, reactions among Indian cricketers are mixed.
Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir, a vocal nationalist, also echoed Ganguly’s sentiment, saying,
“National security comes before sports.”
Meanwhile, others like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have chosen to remain silent publicly, maintaining a focus on sport as a “unifying platform” — though they have always respected the government’s stand on bilateral cricket ties.
The Bigger Picture
Ganguly’s remarks reflect a growing national mood that sports cannot be separated from security and sovereignty. With the situation in Kashmir drawing global attention, calls to cut cricketing ties with Pakistan have once again surged — both from public and political voices.
