Why was India vs Pakistan WCL match cancelled? An entire timeline of events
The match between India and Pakistan in the second edition of the World Championship of Legends was called off on Sunday after several Indian players refused to play, reportedly citing the Pahalgam terror attack in April this year.
Two-time World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh captains the Indian team, which also features Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, and Varun Aaron, among others. The match against Pakistan was scheduled for Sunday in Birmingham and was India's first fixture this season. Pakistan, on the other hand, kicked off the season with a thrilling five-run win against England on Friday.
Why was India vs Pakistan WCL match cancelled? An entire timeline of events
Which Indian players withdrew?
According to a report in Revsportz, Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, and Irfan Pathan were among the first players to withdraw from the match amid public backlash over the fixture against Pakistan. The outrage was in the wake of the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, where 26 civilian lost their lives, and the ensuing Operation Sindoor carried out by the country.
Another factor adding to the criticism on social media was that former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi, part of the current Pakistan Champions squad in this tournament, had made a controversial anti-India remark shortly after the attack attributed to the Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba — which had already sparked widespread anger.
Other players, Yuvraj, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina were also criticised for participating in the match, which led them to withdraw. However, there was no official confirmation on it.
The first official confirmation of a player withdrawal came in the early hours of Monday, when Dhawan shared a statement on X, making it clear that he has taken the call in view of the current "geopolitical" situation between India and Pakistan.
"This is to formally reiterate and confirm that Mr. Shikhar Dhawan will not be participating in any matches against the Pakistan team in the upcoming WCL League. This decision was communicated earlier during our discussion on call and WhatsApp dated 11th May 2025," read his statement.
How did WCL react?
After as many as six players pulled out of Sunday's match, WCL called off the game. Despite the reaction on social media, WCL organisers explained that their intention while conducting the match was only to recreate some "happy memories." They further apologised for causing discomfort for the players.
"After hearing the news that the Pakistan hockey team will be coming to India this year, and seeing the recent India vs Pakistan volleyball match along with a few other fixtures between the two nations in different sports, we thought of continuing with the India vs Pakistan match at WCL, just to create some happy memories for people around the globe.
"But maybe in the process, we ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions," the WCL statement read.
Official sponsor of the tournament, EaseMyTrip, also issued a statement clarifying that while they have signed a five-year sponsorship agreement with the WCL, it will not associated itself with any of Pakistan's matches.
"Despite entering into a 5-year sponsorship agreement with the World Championship of Legends (WCL) two years ago, our stance has always been clear - EaseMyTrip will not be associated with or participate in any WCL match involving Pakistan. We proudly continue to support the India Champions and stand firmly by our team. However, as a matter of principle, we do not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan. This position was communicated unambiguously to the WCL team from the beginning. EaseMyTrip supports Team India, but will not engage in any match featuring Pakistan. Let's bring the cup home. Bharat First. Always." EaseMyTrip informed in a post on X.
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