Shahid Afridis Explosive Comment Triggers India Legends Boycott Of WCL 2025 IND vs PAK Clash
Following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, which claimed 26 lives, India launched Operation Sindoor, a swift and decisive military response. In the aftermath, while tensions between the two nations were already high, it was Afridi's controversial and inflammatory remarks that seemed to pour salt into national wounds.
Shahid Afridi's Outburst: 'Nalayeq Ho, Nikamme Ho'
Afridi, never one to mince words, launched a scathing attack on the Indian Army during a Pakistani TV appearance. Mocking their capabilities, he questioned how such a tragedy occurred under the watch of '8 lakh soldiers,' calling them 'inefficient and useless.'
The statement instantly went viral, triggering outrage among Indian fans, veterans, and—most notably—the legends slated to represent India at the WCL. His provocative rhetoric didn't stop there. Afridi was later seen leading a celebratory rally in Pakistan after the ceasefire, further enraging Indian sentiment.
India's Response: Pride Over Play
Shikhar Dhawan was the first to take a stand. In a heartfelt message, the India Champions opener announced his withdrawal from the match, citing national emotion and the need to honor those lost in Pahalgam. Soon, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, and Irfan Pathan followed suit.
According to sources close to the team, the players had no intention of making it personal with Afridi—but his comments became symbolic of everything they found unacceptable. The issue wasn't about facing Afridi, but about representing a united front against perceived insensitivity.
With so many high-profile players opting out, organizers were left with no choice but to cancel the marquee fixture, awarding two points to Pakistan.
Afridi Hits Back: "Be Ambassadors, Not Embarrassments"
Never one to stay silent, Shahid Afridi launched a counterattack. He accused the Indian players of mixing politics with sports and called the boycott an 'embarrassment for their country.'
'If they didn't want to play, they should have said so before arriving. They came, practiced, and then walked away. This isn't how professionals behave,' he stated.
Afridi insisted cricket should rise above politics, claiming he would've withdrawn if informed in advance. 'What is Shahid Afridi in front of cricket? Nothing,' he humbly added—though not without aiming another veiled jab at an unnamed Indian player he dubbed a 'bad egg.'
The Bigger Picture: More Than Just One Man
While Afridi's name dominated headlines, Indian players clarified—privately and publicly—that the boycott wasn't just about him. The match represented more than a rivalry; it was a moral choice made in the wake of national tragedy.
This was not simply a refusal to shake hands with a controversial rival. It was a collective stand against a country perceived to be complicit—or at the very least indifferent—toward terror originating from its soil.
What Now for WCL 2025?
Despite the drama, the WCL continues. Pakistan were awarded the points, and tournament co-owner Kamil Khan confirmed that efforts would be made to avoid India-Pakistan clashes in later rounds—unless both teams reach the final.
But this incident has cast a long shadow. The next Indo-Pak encounter, if it happens, may not just be a cricket match—it'll be a litmus test of public sentiment, diplomacy, and personal conviction.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
3 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Divya Deshmukh vs Koneru Humpy: How the Indians stack up before FIDE Women's World Cup final
The FIDE Women's World Cup in Batumi, Georgia will see a battle of generations as 38-year-old Koneru Humpy takes on 19-year-old Divya Deshmukh in the two-game final starting from Saturday. It is an India vs India clash after both players defeated Chinese opponents in the semi-finals. Here's how Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy stack up heading into the game. Humpy is the first Indian woman to become a grandmaster. Since then, just two women have followed suit. Divya could become the third at Batumi if she wins the title. Humpy's peak standard rating was 2623, which she achieved in July 2009. Her current rating is 2536. Divya's peak standard rating was 2501, achieved in October last year. Humpy is currently ranked no 5 in the world in the FIDE ratings list for women while Divya is world no 18 (which makes her the fourth ranked Indian on the list). In rapid, Humpy is no 10 in the world while Divya is no 22. In blitz, while the veteran is no 10 in the world among women, Divya is no 18. Humpy was once the youngest woman to achieve the grandmaster title, when she beat Judit Polgar's record by three months to reach there at the age of 15 years, one month and 27 days. Humpy has won the World Rapid Championship title twice, in 2014 and then again last year. Deshmukh was the world junior championship winner last year in the girls section. She was also the inspiration behind Indian women's team winning a gold medal at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest last year where she claimed an individual gold as well for her board. Overall games: 9 (5 with white) Humpy wins: 5 (3 with white) Divya wins: 2 (1 with white) Draws: 2 (one with each colour) In classical chess, Divya and Humpy have faced off just twice, as per FIDE records. Humpy won once, while playing with white pieces while the second game, with Divya having white, ended as a draw. In rapid contests, the duo have played two games where one game ended in a draw while Divya won the second one. Both games have been with Humpy playing white pieces. Divya and Humpy have played five blitz games against each other, where Humpy has four wins (twice each with white and black pieces) with the teenager winning the final clash.
NDTV
3 minutes ago
- NDTV
Anahat Singh Ends India's 15-Year Wait For Individual Medal At World Junior Squash Championships
Indian teen squash sensation Anahat Singh ended the country's 15-year wait for an individual medal at the World Junior Squash Championships with a bronze medal in the prestigious under-19 event. The 17-year-old, who was seeded second in the women's singles draw, suffered a loss to Egypt's Nadien Elhammamy 3-0 (11-6, 14-12, 12-10) in the semi-finals at the Black Ball Sporting Club, as per Earlier in the quarterfinals, Anahat beat Egypt's Malika Elkaraksy 3-0 (11-6, 13-11, 11-5) to seal herself a bronze medal. "I had lost in the quarters for three years in a row, and I'm really glad I was able to reach the semi-finals this time," Anahat Singh said after her quarterfinal win as quoted by Anahat was the only Indian out of eight semifinalists. 54th in the world rankings and the reigning U19 Asian girls' champion, was the only seeded Indian in the women's draw. She had also secured the senior Asian titles in the women's and mixed doubles earlier this year and also made her World Championship debut in Chicago. She has also won plenty of PSA Challenger titles since her two-team bronze medals in the Asian Games Hangzhou back in 2022. Anahat is now the first Indian to win a medal at the World Junior Championships since Dipika Pallikal secured a bronze in 2010. However, no Indian has won a gold medal at the event, with Joshna Chinappa (silver in 2005), denied a gold medal 20 years ago. A total of 234 players are participating in the ongoing championships, which feature individual events until July 26 and team events until August 1. India has fielded a 12-member contingent for the event, six men and women each for two events. Squash will make its maiden Olympic appearance in Los Angeles in 2028.
The Hindu
3 minutes ago
- The Hindu
R. Praggnanandhaa summons his best and shows why Magnus Carlsen sees a lot of himself in the Indian
In the latest World rankings released by FIDE, three of the top 10 are from India. The only other country that has more than one player in that list, published at the beginning of the month by the world chess governing body, is the United States, which has two. R. Praggnanandhaa is ranked fourth, making him the highest ranked Indian; he is followed in fifth and sixth places by Arjun Erigaisi and D. Gukesh, respectively. It is the first time that the 19-year-old from Chennai is the India No. 1. Not a big deal Not that he considers it a big deal. 'I am just [three points] ahead [of Arjun and Gukesh],' he stressed while talking to The Hindu recently over the phone from Zagreb, one of several international cities he has been crisscrossing through of late. He, however, admits he is rather happy with the way he has been playing over the last few months. His current Elo rating also reflects that happiness. It is his career-best — 2779. ALSO READ | Meet Eugene Torre, the pioneering Asian GM who beat Karpov and befriended Fischer He truly seems to have pushed past the disappointments of 2024, which wasn't a great year for him, especially by the high standard he has set himself. Yes, he did play his part in India's stunning triumph at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, but he wasn't as consistent last year as he would have liked. This year, though, he has been playing quite superb chess, some of the best in his career. He has already won three important classical tournaments, including the prestigious Tata Steel at Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands. 'It was a very important win for me because I was coming from not a great 2024,' says Praggnanandhaa. 'I had finished the previous year missing a medal at the World Rapid Championship; I was so close. I lost a game from a winning position in the penultimate round. So coming from that, starting the year with such a win certainly gives you confidence.' And Wijk aan Zee was one event he always wanted to win, from the time he was a kid. 'It has so much history, of 87 years, and it was won in the past by several World champions,' he says. 'So winning that tournament was very special for me.' He followed it up by winning the Superbet Chess Classic in Romania and the UzChess Cup in Uzbekistan. 'Tashkent was special because I wasn't thinking about winning it till the last couple of rounds,' he reveals. 'I was one and a half points behind the leader, and it didn't look like I had much of a chance, but things went my way. I managed to take my chances, against Arjun and Nodirbek Abdusattorov, two of the strongest players in the world right now. Then suddenly, I was in the tiebreakers, and I won.' ALSO READ | Should chess be an Olympic sport? In Romania, too, it was through the tiebreakers that he emerged as the champion, overcoming challenges from Alireza Firouzja and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. And it was his maiden title on the Grand Chess Tour. 'Yes, this is one of the best phases of my career,' says Praggnanandhaa. 'I have tried to change a few things about my game, and they have gone my way. I am much more confident and I push myself more in those critical games.' Handling time pressure He is also happy with the way he has handled the tiebreakers. 'I needed to push myself in those games and I was able to do that,' he says. 'They are blitz games and they go down to these few seconds, which can go any way. I did need some luck in some of those games, but pushing myself certainly helped.' He is hoping to continue his form for the rest of the year, which has many major tournaments coming up, including the FIDE Grand Swiss, the Sinquefield Cup and the World Cup, which India will host. 'It is nice that the World Cup is being held in India,' he says. 'It will be an exciting event as there is a lot of interest in India in chess, and people can get to watch such a big tournament. And I am also excited to play the World Cup in India.' Praggnanandhaa is, of course, not going to be the only serious contender from India. He says being part of a group of strong Indian players definitely helps. 'I was following Gukesh's World Championship match in Singapore and his victory over Ding Liren was exciting,' he says. 'Arjun crossing the 2800 mark in Elo rating was also inspiring. With our performances, we all motivate each other. And it is nice to see other young Indian players are also doing well. Nihal Sarin is now playing more classical events, and he is winning tournaments too. And there is Aravindh Chithambaram, too.' ALSO READ | FIDE confirms World Cup in India, host city yet to be announced Gukesh, Nihal, Arjun and Praggnanandhaa have benefited from significant support from corporates. 'Sponsorship is very important,' he says. 'You have to travel a lot for tournaments, and training, too. And these things are not easy, and are expensive. 'For instance, when I prepared for the Candidates tournament, I needed to have a team and have training camps in person. All that requires financial support. I have been fortunate that Adani Group has been supporting me in a huge way. And they were there even when I was not having a good time last year. They were there supporting me throughout.' He is encouraged by the fact that more corporates in India are investing in chess. 'And we need more strong events like the Chennai Grandmasters,' he says. 'I don't mind playing anywhere but playing in India is always special to me.' Praggnanandhaa is also happy to find chess becoming even more mainstream. He will feature in the Esports World Cup, where chess will make its debut on July 29. He has joined Team Liquid, which boasts World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and No. 3 Fabiano Caruana. The Magnus effect He says he is really glad to be part of that team. Carlsen, the five-time World champion from Norway, has often spoken highly of him, and the Indian has scored some memorable wins against the all-time great over the last few years. Last week in Las Vegas, in fact, he beat Carlsen twice inside four days at the Freestyle Grand Slam. During the live stream of that event, Carlsen's wife Ella Victoria made an interesting remark while talking about Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa and Arjun. 'Magnus did say that Pragg plays the most similar to him,' she said. High praise indeed.
