Following in the footsteps of Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) Vice-President Rajeev Shukla, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has called for India to “break all cricketing ties with Pakistan” after the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
Ganguly’s remarks, delivered during a recent interview with an Indian news outlet. He said, “100 per cent, this (breaking ties with Pakistan) should be done. Strict action is necessary. It is no joke that such things happen every year. Terrorism cannot be tolerated.”
The ex-cricketer’s statement comes as India has escalated diplomatic measures, including banning all live streaming of the Pakistan Super League (PSL 2025) in India as well as ordering the country’s athletes and sports board to cancel any and all future events involving Pakistan.
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral cricket series since 2012-13, when Pakistan toured India for a short limited-overs series. Since then, their encounters have been confined to International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments, such as the World Cups and the Champions Trophy.
India has consistently refused to tour Pakistan, citing security concerns—a stance reinforced by the BCCI’s policy of avoiding bilateral engagements while fulfilling ICC commitments. The recently concluded 2025 Champions Trophy saw India play all its matches in Dubai under a hybrid model, avoiding travel to Pakistan altogether.