KKR’s Moeen Ali: My Parents Were Trapped Near Operation Sindoor Strikes
KKR star Moeen Ali has shared a harrowing account of his family’s ordeal during the 2025 India-Pakistan border conflict, which forced the suspension of the IPL.
The all-rounder revealed on the Beard Before Wicket podcast that his parents were in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) when India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ in response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. This operation saw precision strikes targeting terrorist bases in PoK and Pakistan, escalating tensions between the two nations.
A Tense Time
“My parents were actually in Kashmir (PoK) at the time… in Pakistan, only about an hour away from where the strikes happened, probably. Maybe a bit farther,” Moeen explained. “It was a bit crazy, and then they managed to get the only flights out on that day. I was glad they got out, but it was crazy.”
With the situation rapidly deteriorating, many overseas cricketers, including Moeen, decided to return to their home countries. The IPL season 18 resumed only after a ceasefire was declared, but not before a period of significant uncertainty and anxiety.
Uncertainty and Fear
Moeen described the atmosphere as chaotic and unsettling. “It was mad. Obviously, there were those attacks in Kashmir before everything really kicked off. Then within no time, things just rapidly escalated, and all of a sudden, we were in the middle of it. It felt like we were in the middle of a war, but obviously we didn’t hear anything (like missiles striking). All of a sudden, you’re just scrambling to get out of the country and just trying to make sure your family’s fine.
“People weren’t quite sure what was happening or how things were. I spoke to a lot of the guys. Some of them were like, ‘There won’t be a war; everything will be fine. These things have happened before.’ Some guys were like, ‘I think there’ll be a war. I think there’ll be some sort of retaliation or whatever you want to call it,'” he added.
Flight Cancellations – The Biggest Worry
The fear of flight cancellations loomed large over the players.
“The thing we were most worried about was flights getting cancelled and not being able to get out. But it must be so much harder for the local players or for guys who are Pakistani or Indian, stuck there not knowing what’s going to happen,” Moeen concluded.
