In the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that claimed 26 lives, India head coach Gautam Gambhir has expressed strong opposition to any cricketing ties with Pakistan for the foreseeable future.
Speaking at an event in New Delhi, Gambhir made his stance clear, arguing that sport must take a backseat until terrorism ceases.
“I have said this before also, no cricket match or Bollywood or any other interaction is more important than the life of Indian soldiers and Indian citizens,” he stated. “Matches will keep happening, movies will be made, singers will continue to perform, but nothing comes close to losing a loved one in your family.”
Gambhir: My answer to playing against Pakistan is absolutely no
While bilateral cricket between India and Pakistan has been suspended since their last series in January 2013, they have continued to face each other in multinational events. Their latest encounter came during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai. The two countries were likely to face each other in the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup, the Men's Asia Cup, and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup as well.
Gambhir was responding to a question about whether India should continue playing Pakistan at neutral venues. “My personal answer to this is absolutely no. Till all this (terrorism) doesn't stop, there should not be anything between India and Pakistan,” he said.
Since the Pahalgam attack, the Indian government has taken a series of diplomatic and strategic steps in response to the alleged cross-border involvement. The measures include revoking the Indus Waters Treaty, snapping of trading, postal and shipping ties, and closing the Attari border crossing. The social media accounts of several Pakistani stars, including cricketers, have also been restricted in India, while the current valid visas issued to Pakistani nationals have been revoked as well due to security concerns. The Indian airspace has also been closed to all Pakistan flights, which affects international air connectivity.
Recently, Pakistan opener Gull Feroza had stated that the women’s team were “not interested in playing in India” after they secured qualification for the World Cup.
Though Gambhir acknowledged that the ultimate decision rests with the authorities, he remained firm on his viewpoint. “Ultimately, this is the government's decision whether we play them or not,” he said.
“This is not up to me, it's not in my jurisdiction, this is for BCCI and more importantly, the government to decide whether we should play them or not. Whatever decision they make, we should be absolutely fine with it and not politicise it.”
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