Assailants open fire at Cricket Canada president Arvinder Khosa’s Surrey home amid gang-linked allegations
Police suspect extortion angle after attack on newly elected Cricket Canada chief; incident comes amid mounting allegations of intimidation, corruption and organised crime influence in Canadian cricket.
Arvinder Khosa, a Punjab-born entrepreneur and cricket administrator based in Surrey, has long been associated with cricket administration in British Columbia. In a dramatic escalation of controversies engulfing Canadian cricket, unidentified assailants opened fire at the residence of newly elected Cricket Canada president Arvinder Khosa at Surrey, British Columbia, early on May 21.
The shooting took place around 4.40 am in the Newton neighbourhood while the house was occupied. No injuries were reported. The Surrey police said officers responding to the incident found at least five bullet holes in the door, windows and exterior of the house. Investigators suspect the attack may be linked to extortion, though no arrests had been made till the filing of this report.
Khosa confirmed the shooting to CBC channel’s The Fifth Estate, an investigative TV series, but declined to elaborate further.
Incident adds to cricket turmoil
The attack comes at a time when Cricket Canada is battling allegations of governance failures, intimidation, match-fixing concerns and alleged organised crime influence, including claims linked to the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang.
Khosa, a Punjab-born entrepreneur and cricket administrator based in Surrey, has long been associated with cricket administration in British Columbia. Before immigrating to Canada, he played competitive cricket in Punjab and was locally nicknamed “Afridi” for his aggressive batting style, a reference to former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi. After moving to Canada, he remained active in cricket circles and later rose through the ranks of Cricket British Columbia, eventually serving as its president.
Khosa assumed charge of Cricket Canada in April this year after a prolonged leadership dispute and court-directed intervention within the organisation.
A British Columbia Supreme Court order had paved the way for a special general meeting that led to Khosa’s election as president on April 9, 2026. He subsequently secured a full term, projecting himself as a reformer determined to restore stability and transparency in Cricket Canada, which has faced mounting criticism over governance and financial issues.
Allegations of threats and intimidation
The latest shooting follows explosive allegations aired earlier this year in a CBC Fifth Estate investigation into alleged criminal influence in Canadian cricket.
The television report claimed that after a provincial cricket tournament in Surrey in July 2025, two players allegedly threatened a national team cricketer and demanded support for certain young players, including cricketer Dilpreet Bajwa. According to the report, the individuals allegedly invoked the name of the Bishnoi gang during the confrontation.
The CBC investigation also claimed that at least one senior cricket official had resigned after repeated threats and shootings targeting his residence. Some players were reportedly provided police protection.
Khosa had rejected allegations linking him to any intimidation or criminal activity, calling them “political propaganda”.
Match-fixing concerns surface
Apart from governance disputes, Cricket Canada has also faced scrutiny over potential corruption in team selections and match conduct.
The CBC investigation reported that Dilpreet Bajwa, controversially appointed captain despite questions over selection procedures, was questioned by the International Cricket Council’s Anti-Corruption Unit after bowling a suspicious no-ball during a T20 World Cup match against New Zealand. No charges were publicly filed.
The report further highlighted allegations of financial mismanagement, influence-peddling and factionalism within the cricket body under previous administrations.
Cricket’s rapid growth under shadow
Cricket has witnessed rapid growth in Canada, particularly among South Asian communities in British Columbia and Ontario. Surrey, home to a large Punjabi population, has emerged as one of the country’s most active cricket hubs.
However, repeated allegations of intimidation, corruption and gang influence threaten to overshadow the sport’s expansion and damage its credibility internationally.
Law enforcement agencies in British Columbia have been investigating a broader pattern of extortion-linked shootings and threats targeting members of the South Asian business and community networks in the Lower Mainland region.
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