On April 22, 2025, a tragic terrorist attack took place in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of 28 people, most of whom were tourists, in the beautiful surroundings of Baisaran Valley, commonly referred to as "Mini Switzerland." The attack was carried out by The Resistance Front (TRF), which is a splinter group of Lashkar-e-Taiba, and was one of the worst attacks since the 2019 Pulwama attack and was targeted at civilians. This attack claimed 24 Indian tourists, two locals, and two foreigners, with more than 20 people reported as injured. The global cricketing community demonstrated a rare and extraordinary act of solidarity as players, boards, and fans sided with the victims and their families and condemned the attack on civilians, stood against terrorism, and expressed a united front.

Indian Cricketers and IPL Teams Lead Tributes

Indian cricketers, both current and past, took to social media, particularly X, really expressing their sadness and anger and supporting peace and the bravery of security forces. Virat Kohli, who captained India previously, tweeted, "Devastated with the news from Pahalgam. My heart goes out to the families of the victims. Violence has no place in our world. Praying for peace and strength for all those affected." Sachin Tendulkar, a cricketing icon, tweeted, "Shocked and saddened by the inhumane act in Pahalgam. My deepest condolences to the victims families. India tands united against terrorism." Gautam Gambhir, India’s head coach, demanded justice, posting, “Praying for the families of the deceased. Those responsible will pay. India will strike. #Pahalgam.”

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Yuvraj Singh called for unity, saying, "Deeply saddened by the attack on tourists in Pahalgam. Sending prayers to the victims and their families. Let’s unite for hope and humanity." Shubman Gill denounced violence, saying, "Heartbreaking to hear about the attack in Pahalgam. My prayers are with the victims. Violence has no place in our country." KL Rahul expressed, "Heartbreaking to hear about the terrorist attack in Kashmir. My thoughts are with the families. Wishing peace and strength." Virender Sehwag lamented, "Deeply pained to hear of the indecent terrorist attack on innocent tourists in #Pahalgam. Prayers for the injured." Irfan Pathan, who was in Kashmir just before this attack, said, "Every time an innocent life is lost, humanity is lost. This pain feels too close."

IPL teams also condemned the violence. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) expressed, "Deeply saddened and shocked… Our hearts go out to the families of the innocent lives lost in Pahalgam." Delhi Capitals (DC) expressed, "Heartbroken by the tragic loss of lives in Pahalgam. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims. #StandAgainstTerror." Rajasthan Royals (RR) stated, "Devastated by the senseless violence in Pahalgam. We stand united with the victims and the families and are praying for peace." Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wrote, "Shocked by the horrific atrocity that took place in Pahalgam. Our deepest condolences to all the families affected. Violence has no place in our society." Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) wrote, "Deeply pained by the tragedy of Pahalgam. Our prayers are with the victims and their loved ones." These posts... dedicated to the victims and families and posted on X... are a demonstration of the commitment by IPL to unity in opposition of terror.

Indian Cricket Board and Fans Respond

Messages also poured in from international cricketing organizations and players. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a statement: “The BCCI mourns the loss of lives in the Pahalgam attack and stands in solidarity with the victims and their families. Cricket is a sport which unites the masses and we are firmly against such divisive, violent acts.” 

Fans from around the globe took to social media using tweets like #StandwithPahalgam and #CricketforPeace and made cricket forums into places of memorials. The attack, which targeted a tourism hotspot, struck a nerve with cricketers who had seen and appreciated and felt humbled by Kashmir that intensify their emotions. It also sparked debates on India-Pakistan cricketing ties, with Goswami’s views reflecting broader frustrations.

Also Read: Heartbreak in Pahalgam: Ritika Sajdeh reacts to tragic terror attack

The Pahalgam attack is a wake-up call for both the fragility of peace and human resilience. In a sport where competition is fierce, the cricketing world demonstrated its ability to show unity and compassion off the field, exemplifying once again the ability of cricket to break barriers and bring together people in solidarity in the face of terror.

IPL Teams that have condemned about #PahalgamTerrorAttack
1- Lucknow super giants #lsg pic.twitter.com/Qmiq2u92RR

— JosD92 (@JosD92official) April 23, 2025

Thinking of every single life lost, hurt and changed forever in Pahalgam today. Om Shanti 🙏

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 22, 2025

Shocked and Saddened! We offer our deepest condolences and prayers to the innocent lives lost in the horrific Pahalgam terror attack. 🙏

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) April 23, 2025

Praying for the families of the deceased. Those responsible for this will pay. India will strike. #Pahalgam

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) April 22, 2025

Heartbreaking to hear about the attack in Pahalgam. My prayers are with the victims and their families. Violence like this has no place in our country.

— Shubman Gill (@ShubmanGill) April 22, 2025

'Justice To Be Served': Virat Kohli And Hardik Pandya Condemn Pahalgam Terror Attack, Express Solidarity With Victims
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.#ViratKohli #Hardikpandya #PahalgamTerrorAttcakhttps://t.co/jpCpIBgtja

— Republic (@republic) April 23, 2025

Heartbreaking to hear about the tragic attack in Pahalgam. Innocent lives lost to senseless violence. Praying for strength and peace for the affected families. Let's stand together against hate. #Pahalgam

— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) April 22, 2025

Every time an innocent life is lost, humanity loses. It’s heartbreaking to see and hear about what happened in Kashmir today. I was just there couple of days ago — this pain feels too close.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 22, 2025