The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan match at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) was cancelled on Sunday following a dramatic withdrawal by several Indian cricket legends, sparking a sharp response from former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi.
The cancellation of the Edgbaston fixture comes in the wake of growing backlash over the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which was attributed to the Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Several senior Indian players, including Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan, reportedly pulled out in protest, although no official confirmation was issued for their decisions.
However, Shikhar Dhawan, who was part of the Indian contingent, made it public via social media, citing the current “geopolitical situation” as his reason for not participating in the match against the Pakistan Champions.
In response, Shahid Afridi — known for his outspoken views — criticized India’s last-minute decision. “We are here to play cricket, and I’ve always said cricket should be kept away from politics. A player should be a good ambassador, not a source of embarrassment for their country,” he told the press.
Afridi further questioned the timing of India’s withdrawal:
“If they didn’t want to play against Pakistan, they should’ve said so earlier. Why come here, hold practice sessions, and then suddenly change everything?”
The World Championship of Legends organisers apologised to the Indian players for “unintentionally causing discomfort,” and confirmed that the match had been scrapped, awarding two points to Pakistan by default.
Kamil Khan, owner of the Pakistan Champions franchise, stated that the rest of the tournament would proceed as planned. However, he indicated that WCL would consider avoiding further India-Pakistan clashes in the semifinals, depending on the standings.
“If we meet in the final, decisions will be made then,” he added.
Meanwhile, some media reports hinted that Afridi’s own presence may have triggered the Indian boycott. The 48-year-old had reportedly made controversial anti-India comments shortly after the Pahalgam attack, which incited widespread anger on social media.
Responding to the speculation, Afridi said:
“If I had known the match was being stopped because of me, I wouldn’t have even gone to the ground. What is Shahid Afridi in front of cricket? Nothing. The game comes first — it’s bigger than me or anyone else.”
Despite the tension, Afridi reiterated the importance of using sports as a bridge between the two nations:
“Sports bring people closer. But if politics gets involved in everything, how will we move forward? Communication is essential. We came here for cricket, for positive interaction — but sometimes, one bad egg spoils everything.”
The cancellation of the high-profile encounter has cast a shadow over the spirit of the Legends tournament, reigniting the larger debate over cricket diplomacy in the subcontinent.
