Kin of Pahalgam attack victim demand boycott of India-Pakistan cricket clash

Kanpur: The family of Shubham Dwivedi, who was killed in the recent Pahalgam terror attack, has urged the government and cricket authorities to call off the forthcoming India-Pakistan match, saying playing against Pakistan would be an insult to the martyrs. Their appeal has reignited the debate over whether cricketing ties with Pakistan should continue amid repeated instances of cross-border terrorism.

Shubham’s wife, Aishanya, wept as she questioned the cricket board’s decision. “My husband laid down his life for the nation, and within months his sacrifice has been forgotten. This match is against national interest,” she said.

Her father-in-law, Sanjay Dwivedi, echoed her grief. “Pakistani terrorists asked my son his religion before killing him. Now the same country is being given a cricket platform. It is disgraceful,” he said. Shubham’s uncle, Manoj Dwivedi, appealed to citizens to boycott the fixture, insisting that “Indians must stand with the martyrs, not with cricket diplomacy.” The family’s anguish has found resonance in political circles. Local BJP leaders in Uttar Pradesh asserted that sporting ties cannot be justified while Pakistan continues to shelter terrorists. “The government must make it clear that no match is greater than the sacrifice of our soldiers,” said a BJP legislator.

Opposition leaders expressed solidarity but struck a cautious note, saying decisions on foreign policy and sports diplomacy should rest with the Centre and the BCCI. A Samajwadi Party leader said, “The pain of the family is valid, but policymaking cannot be driven by emotion alone.”

This is not the first time India-Pakistan cricket has drawn controversy. After the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, bilateral cricket was suspended, and following the 2019 Pulwama attack, there were loud calls to boycott Pakistan during the ICC World Cup. Though India went ahead and played in Manchester, the anger reflected the deep mistrust over normalising ties with a country accused of exporting terror. The BCCI continues to insist that bilateral cricket remains off the table, and ICC tournaments follow international scheduling rules. Critics, however, say even these encounters undermine the sentiments of martyr families and send a weak message to the world. For the Dwivedis, the issue goes beyond politics or sport. “We lost a son, a husband, a brother. For us, every ball against Pakistan reopens the wound,” said Aishanya.

As the high-voltage match nears, the clash between commercial interests, diplomacy, and raw emotion once again dominates the public discourse. For victims’ families, the stadium spotlight only deepens their personal darkness.