Cricket: Kashmir attacks deepen India-Pakistan division

Relations between India and Pakistan are fraught after a series of attacks in Kashmir. Cricket is a major cultural touchpoint for both nations, but what does the conflict mean for the sport?

What has happened in Kashmir?

India and Pakistan are engaged in conflict in Kashmir, a disputed territory between the two countries. Parts of Kashmir are controlled by India, Pakistan and China. India has carried out airstrikes, which it says targeted militant groups in the region in recent days, with Pakistan describing them as an "act of war" and vowing to retaliate. Both sides have since been launching attacks on each other.

The current flashpoint started in April when 26 tourists in India-administered Kashmir were killed. But the region has been disputed for centuries, eventually leading to the current uneasy three-way administration.

How India-Pakistan tit-for-tat military clashes could unfold To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

How has this affected cricket?

Relations between the countries mean the teams, whether men's or women's, do not face each other outside of global events organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC). These are usually short-format World Cups (Twenty20 or 50-over cricket). The last time the men's teams met in a Test match, the longer and more storied version of the game, was in 2007. Both the women's and the men's team have recently met in short-format global tournaments on neutral ground, the men in February and the women in 2024.

But the current conflict has had an impact on some players, at least in terms of their social media. Recently, India blocked the accounts of current stars Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan and retired players Shahid Afridi and Wasim Akram in India while the Instagram of Pakistan's ex-prime minister and cricket captain Imran Khan was also blocked.

Why India, Pakistan cricket matches are more than just sport To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

It could also set back cricketing relations still further. India men's coach Gautam Gambhir, a former India player and former MP for Narendra Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party, said there "should not be anything between India and Pakistan" until the situation is resolved.

Does it mean anything for the IPL?

The closure of Pakistan's airspace also affects the northern states of India including the town of Dharamshala, one of the venues used in the IPL (Indian Premier League) the biggest and most lucrative Twenty20 league in the world and a source of fanaticism in India.

The May 8 clash between the Punjab Kings and the Delhi Capitals in the town is scheduled to go ahead as normal, despite some travel concerns. But, as usual, there will be no Pakistani players in either squad. Attacks in Mumbai in 2008 put an end to that, after a handful had played in the early editions of the tournament.

The IPL has become on of the world's most lucrative sports leagues, with plenty of foreign players present Image: Mahesh Kumar A./AP/picture alliance

The story is similar in the less-established Pakistan Super League (PSL). In fact, Indian male players are banned from playing in any foreign cricket leagues by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The PSL season is close to its conclusion but foreign stars from around the world are reportedly weighing up whether to leave the region. PSL organizers have denied this. On April 8, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced that it will reschedule "some of the PSL matches" after it said a drone fell within the Rawalpindi stadium complex. It is not clear whether this means a change of venue or date. Various international cricket boards with players competing in the PSL have also said they are monitoring the situation.

When are India and Pakistan next set to play each other?

Meetings are few and far between, with the next fixture in the men's game likely to be at the Twenty20 World Cup cohosted by champions India and Sri Lanka in 2026. The ICC has already ruled that games between the two sides should be held at neutral venues until at least 2027.

But Gambhir's statement will first be tested at the Women's 50-over World Cup this September, which will also be hosted by India. Pakistan have qualified for the tournament and the round robin system in the group stage means the countries will be slated to face each other, albeit on neutral ground. What happens to that match may provide a first indication of where cricket relations between the pair could be headed in the coming months and years.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold

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