Shots were fired at the residence of Cricket Canada president-elect Arvinder Khosa early Wednesday morning in a chilling incident that has deepened the crisis engulfing Canadian cricket.Khosa’s home in Surrey’s Newton neighborhood was targeted around 4:40 a.m. local time while the home was occupied, CBC reports. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, although bullet marks were seen on the doors, windows and exterior walls of the property. Local police have said the shooting is believed to be related to an extortion investigation. Surrey Police media relations officer Sergeant Ali Gillis confirmed that a person associated with the residence had allegedly received extortion threats prior to the attack.Surrey Police say the investigation is in its early stages but the shooting is believed to be related to extortion. “An individual associated with the residence that was shot this morning has received extortion threats,” Sergeant Ali Gillis, a media relations officer, told The Fifth Estate in an email. The incident comes barely a day after he officially took charge as Cricket Canada’s president following the board’s annual general meeting in Mississauga on May 9. He had previously served as interim president when a court-ordered leadership vote replaced former president Amjad Bajwa.However, Khosa’s appointment is already overshadowed by serious allegations against Cricket Canada’s management and alleged links to organized crime networks. A CBC Fifth Estate investigation recently revealed claims that members allegedly linked to the notorious Lawrence Bishnoi gang intimidated members in Canadian cricket circles ahead of the T20 World Cup.The controversy deepened after reports surfaced alleging that pressure was put on players and officials to support the late appointment of Dilpreet Bajwa as captain ahead of the World Cup. Investigators are also probing suspicious activity during Canada’s T20 World Cup match against New Zealand in Chennai, where unusual wides and nine balls during a crucial over sparked concerns of spot-fixing. In addition to allegations of corruption, Cricket Canada is also battling allegations of financial irregularities and administrative misconduct. The ICC has reportedly frozen Cricket Canada’s funding for six months following integrity concerns and questions about financial disclosures. Given that ICC funding is a significant part of Cricket Canada’s operational revenue, the suspension has put the organization under severe financial pressure.This is not the first violent incident associated with the board either. Earlier this year, the Calgary home of a former Cricket Canada board member was targeted in two separate shootings, forcing the official to temporarily relocate his family before resigning from the board. While investigators have not established any connection between the Calgary and Surrey shootings.
