2011 image of former PM Manmohan Singh with Pakistan cricket team falsely shared linking to 26/11 Mumbai terror attack

This viral image of former PM Manmohan Singh with Pakistan cricket team Is From 2011 World Cup, not shortly after 26/11 Mumbai Attacks

Despite growing requests to boycott the India-Pakistan match following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, the two sides met in the Asia Cup on 14 September, 2025, with India winning by seven wickets.

Against this backdrop, an image of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh with the Pakistan cricket team has gone viral on social media, with the claim that he had invited the team to India soon after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

The post reads as, “Shortly after the 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, the Pakistan cricket team came to India. The then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was present to welcome the Pakistan cricket team. Sharad Pawar is also seen with him. Congressis shouldn’t teach patriotism to Modi devotees”.

 Let’s check the truth

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Fact Check- 

We started our investigation by closely analysing the picture, and we found ‘ICC Cricket World Cup 2011’ written on Pakistan cricket team captain Shahid Afridi’s jersey, indicating that the image is from the India vs Pakistan match during the 2011 World Cup.

Next, a reverse image search on Google led us to the same image archived on the PMO website. The text highlighted that the then PM Dr Manmohan Singh and the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yousuf Raza Gilani, were interacting with the Pakistani Cricket Team at the Indo-Pak World Cup semi-final, at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium, in Mohali on 30 March, 2011. 

Moving forward, we found several media reports regarding this meeting. We came across a video report by Times Now, published on 31 March, 2011, stating that then-PM Dr Manmohan Singh arrived at the cricket stadium in Mohali to witness the Indo-Pak World Cup semi-final match and for talks with his Pakistani counterpart, Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Meanwhile, following the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, India suspended its planned Pakistan tour in 2009. As per reports, the terror attacks, which took place from 26 to 29 November 2008, killed 166 people and injured over 300, creating serious security concerns. Following the tragedy, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) called off the tour, and the Indian team did not travel to Pakistan for the series.

Conclusion

Fact Crescendo found the claim made along with the viral image to be Misleading. – This image is from 2011, when PM Manmohan Singh and Pakistani PM Yousuf Raza Gilani met the Pakistan team before the India-Pakistan World Cup semi-final in Mohali.