Shahid Afridi Slams Indian Legends’ Withdrawal from WCL Clash, Urges Separation of Politics from Sport

Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has lashed out at Indian cricket legends who pulled out of the India vs Pakistan clash in the World Championship of Legends (WCL), leading to the cancellation of the high-voltage fixture at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Sunday.

Multiple Indian players, including Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, and the Pathan brothers, reportedly opted out following public outrage over the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which was attributed to the Resistance Front, a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot.

While there was no official statement from these players, Shikhar Dhawan confirmed on social media that he withdrew due to the “current geopolitical situation” between the two nations.

Reacting to the withdrawal, Afridi said:

“We are here to play cricket. I’ve always said politics should be kept away from sport. A player should represent their country with dignity, not walk away and cause embarrassment.”

Afridi criticized the timing of India’s decision, pointing out that the Indian team had already arrived and even held practice sessions before the abrupt U-turn.

“If India didn’t want to play, they should have said so earlier. Why come here, prepare, and back out at the last minute?” he asked.

WCL organisers later cancelled the match, issuing an apology to Indian players for “unintentionally causing discomfort,” and awarded two points to Pakistan Champions as per tournament rules.

WCL and Pakistan Champions’ owner Kamil Khan confirmed the tournament will proceed unchanged, but said potential knockout-stage matches between India and Pakistan will be reviewed if both teams qualify.

Amid speculation that Afridi’s presence was the primary reason for the withdrawals — following his controversial anti-India comment post-Pahalgam attack — the ex-captain dismissed the notion.

“If I knew the match was being cancelled because of me, I wouldn’t have even gone to the ground. Who is Afridi compared to cricket? Cricket is bigger than me or any individual,” he said.

Afridi concluded by calling for renewed dialogue and people-to-people ties between India and Pakistan:

“Sports can bring us together. But if we keep mixing politics into everything, how can we move forward? We need conversations, not silence.”