Many Indian players, including Yuvraj Singh and Shikhar Dhawan, do not want to play against Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends League.
The tense political relationship between India and Pakistan has spilled over into the World Championship of Legends League (WCL). Several members of the Indian team are reluctant to face their neighboring country, leading to the cancellation of the group stage match between the two teams in the tournament.
The second edition of this six-team competition is being held in England. Alongside hosts England, India, and Pakistan, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa are also competing for the title.
India was scheduled to face Pakistan in a T20 match on Sunday night in Birmingham. However, many Indian players—including Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, and Irfan Pathan—refused to participate in the match. As a result, the organizers were forced to cancel it.
This tension follows a terrorist attack on April 26 in Pehalgam, Kashmir, controlled by India, which killed at least 26 people and injured dozens, most of them tourists. India blamed Pakistan for the brutal attack. The two countries were briefly involved in a limited conflict soon after.
Although relations have calmed down since, with Pakistan’s hockey team scheduled to tour India this year and under-16 volleyball matches taking place between the two nations, the WCL’s hopes for an India-Pakistan cricket clash were dashed.
Shikhar Dhawan publicly stated the Indian players’ refusal to play Pakistan was due to the “current geopolitical situation and prevailing tensions” between the two countries.
The WCL began last Friday, and three matches have been played so far. Pakistan Champions won their opening game against England Champions. India’s first scheduled match was against Pakistan, which got canceled. India, led by Yuvraj Singh, will now face South Africa on Tuesday.
In the tournament, each team plays every other team once. The top four teams in the points table will advance to the semi-finals. The semis are scheduled for July 31, with the final set for August 2.
What happens if India and Pakistan face each other in the knockout stage remains to be seen.
