Shahid Afridi Breaks Silence After India Withdraw From Pakistan Match In WCL
Shahid Afridi has requested politics-free cricket as Pakistan plays in England in the World Championship of Legends.
Former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi has said that all teams have come to England to play cricket, and he would reiterate that politics should be kept away from sport, with a player being a good ambassador for cricket and not an embarrassment for the country.
The Pakistan team boasts a roster that includes skipper Afridi, Younis Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz and Kamran Akmal, among a host of yesteryear cricketers.
The organisers of the World Championship of Legends apologised for causing discomfort to Indian legends.
India and Pakistan were supposed to play a game in the tournament on Sunday, July 20. Still, after a massive social media backlash targeting Indian players for playing against Pakistan, two months after the Pahalgam attack, the organisers called off the match.
'We are here to play cricket and I've always said that cricket should be kept away from politics; it should move forward. A player should be a good ambassador, not a source of embarrassment for their country," Afridi said while speaking to the media.
'We've come here to play cricket. If India didn't want to play against Pakistan, they should've refused before coming here. But now you've arrived, even held practice sessions and then suddenly changed everything in a single day," Afridi added.
'All the remaining matches are taking place. The tournament is proceeding as scheduled, with no changes. As for the semifinals and final, we're currently saying that if we make it to the semifinals, there will be four teams and we will avoid matches between the two teams," Kamil said.
'If we reach the final, then the decisions regarding that will be made then. And as for this match, the two points will be awarded to us and we deserve those points as per the rules," Kamil added.
Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan shared a statement on X as well, announcing his stand not to participate in the game against Pakistan.
view comments
First Published:
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Yuzvendra Chahal On Divorce T-Shirt ‘Be Your Own Sugar Daddy': ‘I Wanted To Give A Message'
Last Updated: Yuzvendra Chahal breaks silence on his viral 'Be Your Own Sugar Daddy' t-shirt worn during divorce, says it was a message, not a publicity stunt. Yuzvendra Chahal has finally addressed the viral moment when he wore a t-shirt that read 'Be Your Own Sugar Daddy" on the day of his final divorce hearing with Dhanashree Verma. The cricketer, who had remained largely silent about the separation until recently, opened up about the intent behind the now-infamous outfit in a chat with Raj Shamani. During his appearance on the podcast, Chahal revealed that the message on his t-shirt wasn't meant to create drama but rather to send out a pointed message. 'Meko nahi karna tha drama, I just wanted to give one message and mai ne vo de diya," he said, suggesting that while he had no initial plans to make a statement, something from the other side pushed him to do so. When prodded further about the reason behind the bold slogan, Chahal laughed and hinted that something had occurred from Dhanashree's side that prompted his reaction. 'Kyunki saamne se kuch cheej hua tha, aur mera pehle mann nahi tha. Fir saamne se kuch hua toh fir mai ne kaaha ab sambhaal lo ab mujhe nahi parwah kisi ki. Mai ne na kisi ko abuse kra, bus mujhe message dena tha," he clarified, indicating that his action was more of a response than a provocation. He also opened up about the financial settlement, admitting that the negotiation process was difficult. 'I had signed a good deal," Chahal said, which made him want to move on from the marriage as quickly as possible. Something happened during that period that further solidified his decision to go ahead with the symbolic t-shirt. Delving deeper into the relationship, the Indian spinner admitted that both he and Dhanashree decided not to show any signs of their strained relationship on social media until things were final. When asked if he was faking the marriage in public, Chahal agreed with a simple 'yes." He further revealed that he hadn't spoken to Dhanashree since the 2024 World Cup and last saw her only six months ago via video call during their court proceedings. On whether he thought the relationship could have worked out, Chahal said, 'I gave my 100 percent," implying that he has no regrets about the effort he put in. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Yuzvendra Chahal Denies Dating RJ Mahvash: 'She Was Called A Homewrecker, Felt Terrible'
Last Updated: Opening up about his mental state post-divorce, Yuzvendra Chahal revealed he was deeply affected and unable to focus on cricket. Yuzvendra Chahal has finally broken his silence on the speculation surrounding his personal life, particularly his rumoured relationship with RJ Mahvash after his divorce from Dhanashree Verma. In a new interview, the cricketer not only clarified the nature of his bond with Mahvash but also shared the emotional turmoil he went through following the separation. Chahal firmly denied being in a relationship with anyone at present. 'No, there's nothing. People can think whatever they want to think," he told Raj Shamani on his podcast when asked if there's anything going on with Mahvash or anyone else. When asked about falling in love again, he admitted, 'It will take time to process. I need to gather myself. I'm not afraid to fall in love again, but I'm scared of losing the person because I get attached with all my heart." Opening up about his mental state post-divorce, Chahal revealed he was deeply affected and unable to focus on cricket. 'I was constantly thinking about the divorce. I was barely sleeping, maybe an hour or two a night. I felt like my life was spiraling out of control. I was exhausted, mentally and emotionally. That's when suicidal thoughts began creeping in," he said. The bowler even took a 45-day break from cricket to recover, admitting, 'Honestly, I wouldn't wish what I went through on even my worst enemies." Addressing the rumours linking him to RJ Mahvash, Chahal recounted how online speculation took a toll on both of them. 'For the first time, when I was seen with someone, people started linking us right away. Even she clarified it, but it was very hard for her. She was called a homewrecker… people said really nasty things. I felt terrible," he shared. Chahal said Mahvash had supported him during one of the darkest phases of his life, and he felt devastated to see her dragged into unnecessary controversies. ALSO READ | Yuzvendra Chahal Says He Was 'Faking' Marriage With Dhanashree Verma He also explained how a simple Christmas dinner with friends was blown out of proportion. 'We had a Christmas dinner with five people, but the photo was cropped to make it look like just the two of us were on a dinner date. It got to a point where we couldn't even go out with friends without worrying about what people would say." Another incident that bothered him was when they were seen together at a hotel before he left for the airport. 'She offered to drop me, and while we were waiting for the car, someone recorded a video. I was just fixing my hair, and people started saying all sorts of cheap things, like we were coming out of a hotel room. That really hurt me. It was very upsetting." First Published: August 01, 2025, 04:43 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Deccan Herald
2 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Divya arrives to grand reception
Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh arrived in Nagpur on Wednesday to a reception befitting a champion, with the young achiever saying she was overwhelmed by the affection shown by people who came to greet her at the airport. Divya, 19, arrived from Batumi, Georgia, where she defeated Indian stalwart Koneru Humpy in the Women's World Cup title showdown, clinching the biggest title of her fledgling career. She overcame the 38-year-old Humpy in the tie-breaker after two classical games ended in draws. Divya had entered the tournament as an underdog aiming to achieve a GM norm but returned home with the Grandmaster title, besides securing a spot in the Candidates and becoming richer by USD 50,000. 'I am feeling very happy that so many people have come to felicitate me, and chess is getting the recognition,' said Divya, who flew from Batumi to Mumbai and then took a flight to her hometown Nagpur, accompanied by her mother. Divya received a grand reception in Nagpur, with her relatives and fans arriving much in advance to receive her. 'My parents have played the biggest role in my career. Without them I would not have reached here. Credit to my family, my parents, my sister, and my first coach, Rahul Joshi sir. He always wanted me to become the Grandmaster, and this is for him,' said Divya, about Joshi, who passed away in 2020 at just 40 years of age. 'My mother and father had a bigger role to play but definitely my whole family, my sister Arya Deshmukh, my grandmother, grandfather... I don't think whatever I will say will be enough (for my parents).' Divya also reserved special praise for GM Abhijit Kunte, saying he was lucky for her.
