The shocking incident in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians on April 22, has drawn strong reactions. Some terror elements have disrupted what would have passed as yet another peaceful tourist season in the beautiful meadows of Baisaran under the firing actually being in close collusion with Pakistan. There are noises that the BCCI will write to ICC with a request that India and Pakistan not be placed in the same groups for future events, whether World Cup or Champions Trophy. However, Cricbuzz reported that this might not fly.
As of now, no major men’s ICC events are on the calendar for this year. Pakistan has qualified for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup in India, scheduled for September-October. After the past agreements, they will play at a neutral venue. Amid this, Pakistan women’s cricket opener Gull Feroza, who participated in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, made an interesting comment: We know that we will be playing in Asian conditions, not in India. That’s clear. We’re not interested in playing there, with the PakPassion. In fact, she added that whether it is Sri Lanka or Dubai, it will be similar to being in front of home. She talked about how their team prepared for the Qualifiers, and they are ready for whatever the World Cup matches are.
What’s more, the BCCI clarified that it would follow the government position on cricket with Pakistan. We stand with the victims and condemn the attack. We will do whatever our government says. We do not play bilateral series with Pakistan because that is the government’s position, and it shall remain so. However, when it comes to ICC events, we play those as part of ICC obligation. The ICC is also cognizant of this situation, said Rajeev Shukla, BCCI vice-president, in an exclusive interview with Sports Tak.