Indian media report that despite presence of over 700,000 troops in Indian-occupied Kashmir, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam area has raised serious concerns over security of international teams
LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-April 24th, 2025) Following the recent Pahalgam incident, India’s hosting rights for major upcoming cricket tournaments including the Asia Cup 2025, T20 World Cup 2026, and Champions Trophy 2029, are reportedly at risk.
The Indian media reported that despite the presence of over 700,000 troops in Indian-occupied Kashmir, a terrorist attack in the Pahalgam area has raised serious concerns over the security of international teams.
The threat environment further intensified after Indian national team head coach and ruling party politician Gautam Gambhir reportedly received death threats. The development has cast serious doubts over the safety of foreign players participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
In response to the incident, India exhibited its usual hostility by hastily blaming Pakistan without conducting any independent investigation.
Under the government pressure, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly refused to engage in any cricketing activities with Pakistan.
A BCCI spokesperson stated that due to security concerns, the board has decided not to play any cricket with Pakistan. The spokesperson also warned that even the scheduled Pakistan-India matches in upcoming ICC events could be reconsidered.
The incident in Pahalgam, where 26 tourists lost their lives in a shooting attack, has led to heightened political and sporting tensions.
Despite lacking evidence, the Indian government and cricket board have blamed Pakistan and have opted to boycott bilateral cricket engagements, further escalating the regional cricketing standoff.
