Ganguly weighs in on Ind-Pak cricket ties

Former Indian captain and current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has called for India to sever all cricketing ties with Pakistan.

Speaking at a recent media interaction in Kolkata, Ganguly stressed that strong measures are needed, citing the continued threat of terrorism as a major concern.

"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," said Ganguly.

India and Pakistan have not played bilateral series for several years and have only faced each other in ICC events such as the T20 and 50-over World Cups, the ICC Champions Trophy, and Asian Cricket Council (ACC)-organised Asia Cup tournaments.

Meanwhile, the BCCI has dismissed rumors suggesting that it had requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to place India and Pakistan in separate groups at future global events.

The speculation surfaced following the recent Pahalgam attacks, but according to BCCI officials, it is baseless.

BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla clarified that any decision regarding Pakistan's participation in international tournaments would be made only after consulting the Indian government.

Additionally, BCCI sources confirmed that no official communication has been made with the ICC regarding altering tournament groupings.

Despite heightened tensions, there is currently no official move to restructure tournament formats involving India and Pakistan.

Looking ahead, the global cricket calendar remains relatively quiet, with no major ICC events scheduled until the Women's ODI World Cup in September-October 2025, which will be hosted in India.

Pakistan has already qualified for the eight-team competition, which will be played in a round-robin format, ensuring that all teams face each other without group divisions.

Matches involving Pakistan are expected to be held at neutral venues. Although India is the host nation, the final decision regarding venues rests with the BCCI and remains pending. Before the Women's World Cup, attention will shift to the men's Asia Cup, where India holds the hosting rights.

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