India and Pakistan, the two Asian neighbouring countries, are already not on talking terms and now the tensions escalated further as the highly anticipated face-off between India and Pakistan at World Championship of Legends was abruptly canceled, sparking debate across the cricketing world.
The decision followed a surge of outrage on social media over Indian legends playing Pakistan just two months after the tragic terr*r att@ck in Pahalgam. The backlash led organizers to scrap the July 20 match, despite both the teams having already arrived in England and participated in practice sessions.
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi addressed the media in the aftermath, urging that cricket must remain above politics. Without mincing words, he said that players are here to play the sport and must serve as ambassadors of goodwill rather than becoming sources of national embarrassment. Afridi questioned the timing of India’s withdrawal, suggesting that if they were unwilling to play, they should have declined participation before reaching England and committing to the tournament.
The Pakistan squad, featuring seasoned names like Younis Khan, Wahab Riaz, Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir and Afridi himself, remains focused on the tournament. Even as controversy brews, they are pushing forward with the game.
The tournament organizers issued an apology, acknowledging the discomfort caused to Indian legends. Meanwhile, Pakistan Champions team owner Kamil Khan assured that the tournament will proceed as planned, with no schedule changes. He confirmed that all the upcoming matches, including the semifinals and final, would be held per the original schedule. If Pakistan qualifies for the semifinals or final, the matchups will be adjusted to avoid another India-Pakistan fixture, unless absolutely necessary.
Kamil also stated that Pakistan would be awarded the two points from the canceled match as per tournament regulations, reaffirming that they were rightfully earned.
Adding to the drama, former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan publicly announced his decision to abstain from playing against Pakistan, sharing his stance on social media platform X.
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