Shots were fired at the residence of Arvinder Khosa, the newly elected president of Cricket Canada, in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with Khosa confirming that his home in the Newton area was targeted at around 4:40 am local time. He said people were inside at the time of the attack, but fortunately no one was hurt. The incident unfolded only days after Khosa took over as president following a court-mandated leadership vote, succeeding Amjad Bajwa.
The timing has raised further questions around the administration of Cricket Canada, which has faced allegations of links to organised crime networks. Earlier reporting had suggested that people connected to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang had allegedly intimidated members of the Canadian cricket community in the run-up to the T20 World Cup. In the midst of those concerns, Khosa’s appointment has arrived amid scrutiny of governance and integrity across the sport’s Canadian set-up.
Investigators and media reports indicated the impact of the attack was visible. At least five bullet holes were reportedly found on the door, windows and exterior portions of Khosa’s property. Surrey Police have said the shooting is believed to be connected to extortion. A police media representative, in an email to a programme, stated that an individual associated with the residence had received extortion-related threats.
These developments also follow earlier claims that Khosa had connections with local players who were allegedly tied to the Bishnoi gang and who, according to earlier reports, threatened a national team player in 2025. Khosa’s household and his wider links to the cricket network in Canada are now at the centre of renewed attention after the attack.
Cricket Canada has not been spared from violence or allegations in recent months. In February and the opening weeks of March, a former board member’s house was shot at twice in separate incidents. The former board member was reportedly forced to shift temporarily with his family and later resigned from Cricket Canada.
Alongside the security concerns, Cricket Canada has also been battling claims of internal pressure around leadership decisions and tournament conduct. Reports alleged that players and officials were pushed to back the appointment of Dilpreet Bajwa as captain ahead of the World Cup. Further match-related allegations emerged after the squad was accused of improper conduct, with unusual wides and no-balls recorded during a crucial over against New Zealand in the World Cup.
Those charges were tied to the fifth over of New Zealand’s innings, bowled by Bajwa. It began with a no-ball and then went wide down the leg side, before the over ultimately cost 15 runs in total. The combination of those deliveries added fuel to concerns about competitiveness and discipline at a critical stage of the tournament.
Another thread in the controversy involved a recorded phone call featuring former Canada head coach Khurram Chohan, which has also been examined by the ICC. In the conversation, he alleged that some board members forced him to pick players for the national team and claimed that attempts were made to fix games. On top of the cricket-related allegations, the governing body has also faced accusations relating to financial irregularities and broader administrative misconduct.
As the investigations continue, the ICC has reportedly taken a significant step by freezing Cricket Canada’s funding for a six-month period, adding pressure on the organisation while it deals with both the governance questions and the latest reported attack on its newly elected president.
