Indian cricketers showed unity in their response to the Indian Army’s precision strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which destroyed nine terror camps early on May 7. The operation, named ‘Operation Sindoor’, was carried out in retaliation for the brutal terror attacks in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists in the scenic town of Kashmir.
‘Jai Hind’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ was echoed in chorus from the players as India conducted its most comprehensive attack on Pakistan in recent years.
While Virender Sehwag quoted ‘Mahabharata’, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina, India head coach Gautam Gambhir, Venkatesh Prasad, RP Singh and Varun Chakravarthy led reactions saluting the Indian armed forces while feeling proud of the country’s coordinated response following the attacks. Former India pacer and chief selector Chetan Sharma wrote that when it comes to security, India won’t shy away from responding like that while suggesting that this wasn’t just a retaliation but a message.
Varun Chakravarthy Insta story
England cricketer Sam Billings, currently playing for the Lahore Qalandars in Pakistan, expressed hope for a de-escalation of rising tensions between India and Pakistan.
The Indian Army carried out the operation at 1:28 AM on May 7, targeting terror bases of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Muridke, both banned groups. A total of nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir were struck. Intelligence reports estimated 80 to 90 casualties, while Pakistan’s security chief initially reported eight deaths including three civilians and over 20 injuries. The toll was later revised to 26.
The Indian Army released a brief video message on X (formerly Twitter) following the operation, declaring: “Justice is served.”