Gunshots were fired at the home of Arvinder Khosa, the newly elected president of Cricket Canada, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, a disturbing episode that has added fresh pressure to an already volatile period for the sport’s governing body in the country. The incident took place at his residence in Surrey’s Newton area at around 4:40 a.m. local time, with the property understood to have been occupied at the time. While no injuries were reported, investigators and residents found visible bullet impacts on doors, windows, and parts of the exterior walls.
Local police have indicated that the attack is believed to be tied to an extortion probe. Surrey Police stated that the investigation is still at an early stage, but that the circumstances point toward extortion as a possible motive. Sergeant Ali Gailus, the force’s media relations officer, said that an individual linked to the residence had allegedly received extortion-related threats before the shooting. The remark was delivered in an email communication shared with a local news program.
The timing of the incident is particularly sensitive for Khosa, who had only just begun his role as Cricket Canada president following the board’s annual general meeting in Mississauga on May 9. He had moved into the position after serving as interim president, a change that followed a court-ordered leadership vote that replaced former president Amjad Bajwa. However, Khosa’s start has been quickly overshadowed by escalating allegations surrounding the administration, including claims of connections to organized-crime networks.
A recent investigative report highlighted claims that people allegedly associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang had intimidated members within Canadian cricket circles ahead of the T20 World Cup. The controversy has also broadened into allegations that players and officials faced pressure to back the late appointment of Dilpreet Bajwa as captain before the tournament. At the same time, investigators are examining suspicious circumstances during Canada’s T20 World Cup match against New Zealand in Chennai, where an unusually high number of wides and no-balls during a key over have sparked spot-fixing concerns.
Beyond corruption-related claims, Cricket Canada is also dealing with accusations involving financial irregularities and administrative misconduct. The International Cricket Council has reportedly frozen Cricket Canada’s funding for six months due to integrity worries and questions connected to financial disclosures. With ICC funding forming a major part of the organization’s operating income, the suspension has left the board facing significant financial strain.
This is not the first time violence has been linked to Cricket Canada’s orbit. Earlier in the year, a former board member’s home in Calgary was targeted in two separate shooting incidents. Those attacks forced the official to temporarily move his family before he later resigned from the board. Investigators have, for now, not confirmed any link between the shootings in Calgary and Surrey.
