Latest news with #IndiaPakistan
Arab News
4 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Pakistan voice disappointment after ‘World Championship of Legends' match against India called off
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani veteran cricket stars on Sunday voiced their disappointment after their match against India, part of the 'World Championship of Legends (WCL)' tournament, was called off on Sunday, with Indian players withdrawing because of political tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Sporting ties between arch-rivals India and Pakistan have remained limited due to years of political tensions, which heightened after the two countries engaged in a four-day military standoff over an attack in the disputed Kashmir region before a ceasefire was reached on May 10. The WCL is a T20 tournament approved by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) held in England every year. The tournament features retired and non-contracted players from cricketing giants, including England, India, Pakistan, Australia, West Indies and South Africa. 'On behalf of Pakistan Champions, we express our deep disappointment over WCL's decision to call off the match against India,' Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan said in a statement. 'This decision not only undermines the spirit of the game but has let down cricket fans across the globe.' In a statement released on its social media accounts, the WCL said it had decided to call off the India-Pakistan match in Birmingham and apologized again for 'hurting the sentiments' of Indian fans. The league's owners include its founder, Indian entrepreneur Harshit Tomar and Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn. The WCL statement came hours after Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan wrote on X that he was withdrawing from India's WCL matches with Pakistan. 'We believe cricket should rise above and transcend political differences,' Khan said.
Arab News
5 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
Pakistan-India ‘World Championship of Legends' cricket match called off amid tensions
ISLAMABAD: A match between veteran cricket stars from India and Pakistan as part of the 'World Championship of Legends (WCL)' tournament was called off on Sunday, the league announced after Indian players withdrew due to political tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi. Sporting ties between arch-rivals India and Pakistan have remained limited due to political tensions between the two countries. Both countries engaged in the worst fighting between them in decades in May this year before a ceasefire was brokered by Washington on May 10. The WCL is a T20 tournament approved by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) h in England every year. The WCL features retired and non-contracted players from cricketing giants, including England, India, Pakistan, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa. In a statement released on its social media accounts, the WCL said it had decided to hold the India-Pakistan match in Birmingham after news that the Pakistan hockey team will be coming to India this year, and witnessing the recent India vs Pakistan under-16 volleyball match in Thailand. 'But maybe in the process, we ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions,' the WCL's message read. 'More than that, we unintentionally caused discomfort to our Indian Cricket Legends, who have brought so much glory to the country, and we ended up affecting the brands who supported us purely out of love for the game.' WCL said it was due to these reasons it had decided to call off the match. 'We sincerely apologize again for hurting the sentiments and hope people will understand that all we ever wanted was to bring a few happy moments to the fans,' it concluded. The league's owners include its founder, Indian entrepreneur Harshit Tomar and Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn. The statement came hours after Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan wrote on X that he was withdrawing from India's WCL matches with Pakistan. 'My country is everything for me and nothing is worth more than that,' he wrote. Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota. Jai Hind! — Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) July 19, 2025 The second edition of the WCL started on July 18 in Birmingham and has seen three matches played so far. Pakistan played the opening game of the tournament but Sunday's clash was going to be India's first. Former Indian batter Yuvraj Singh is leading the India side while ex-Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez is leading the green shirts.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WCL: 'Should be shut down' - Social media erupts as India vs Pakistan match called off
In a dramatic turn of events, the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan fixture at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) was officially called off, triggering a wave of reactions on social media. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The organisers, in their statement, issued a public apology, acknowledging that the scheduling of the match had caused discomfort among Indian legends and hurt public sentiment. The match was initially planned as a goodwill gesture, drawing inspiration from a recent IndiaPakistan- volleyball encounter. But the idea backfired, with former India cricketers including Shikhar Dhawan taking a firm stand against participating in the match. Dhawan not only released a public statement on X reaffirming his stance, but also shared an email dated May 11, in which he clearly informed WCL organisers of his refusal to play due to ongoing geopolitical tensions. A user summed up the mood by posting, ' He chose India over money. Yes, he got the guts to not play against Pakistan. Thank you Shikhar Bhai .' As the news spread, the backlash was swift and sharp. Many questioned the rationale behind even inviting a Pakistan team to a tournament run by Indian organisers. The timing of the cancellation being less than 24 hours before the scheduled clash further intensified the outrage. ' Absolutely disgraceful for a sports match to be called off less than 24 hours before it's due to start due to politics ,' read another frustrated post. Even cricketers and celebrities joined the online chatter. Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh (via a retweet), and others made their positions clear, backing the sentiment that national pride should not be compromised for commercial value. Poll Was the timing of the match cancellation appropriate? Yes, it was necessary No, it was poorly timed A third user wrote, ' Where greed for money is much more prominent than the love for 'creating happy memories '.' Yuvraj Singh on X Suresh Raina on X Shikhar Dhawan on X Screengrab via X Screengrab via X Image via Screengrab Image via X Screengrab via X The WCL, which had taken the form of a celebration of 's retired greats, now finds itself in the middle of a controversy.
Malaysia Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Malaysia Sun
India-Pak clash at Legends Championship called off after Indian players withdraw
Birmingham [United Kingdom], July 20 (ANI): The organisers of he World Championship of Legends (WCL) have officially called of the India Pakistan match and apologised for hurting sentiment and hope of people. In its statement WCL said that It had announced the India-Pak fixture after a recent volleyball match between the two countries to create happy memories for fans. The tournament says that this may have ended up hurting the feelings of many and caused discomfort to the Indian legends. In the wake of this a decision to call off the fixture was taken. WCL further apologised for hurting sentiments. Earlier, several Indian players like Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan also informed the media that they would not be playing the India-Pakistan game. Sources also say some other players in the India line-up have also taken a similar stance. In a post on X, Dhawan shared an email written to the tournament orgainsers where he said that the decision to not play Pakistan had been communicated to the organisers on May 11. The email said that the decision to not play Pakistan was taken in consideration of the current geo-political situation. In his post Dhawan said, 'Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota. (I standby the decision I took on May 11. My country is everything for me and nothing is bigger than the country)' One of the tournament sponsors, Travel-tech Portal EaseMyTrip also released an official statement regarding its sponsorship of the WCL. The company clarified its stance, stating that despite entering into a 5-year sponsorship agreement with WCL two years ago, it will not associate with or participate in any match involving Pakistan. The travel tech platform emphasised that its position has always been clear. EaseMyTrip supports the India Champions and stands firmly by the team. However, the company maintains that it does not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan. EaseMyTrip reaffirmed its commitment to Team India, expressing its desire to see the cup brought home. On Sunday, in a post on X, EaseMyTrip wrote, '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.' Scheduled to be held from July 18 to August 2 across Birmingham, Northampton, Leicester, and Leeds, WCL 2025 brings together the heroes of yesteryears in a summer spectacle sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). (ANI)
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Had ceasefire due to common sense of both govts: Pakistan ex-foreign minister
'We had a ceasefire because both governments had the common sense, and they decided that enough was enough,' said former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, while addressing a seminar virtually on India-Pakistan relations in New Delhi on Saturday. 'Give credit where it is due. It was not any DGMO. It was the highest level of India and Pakistan that wanted the war to an end,' added the former minister, who served under President Pervez Musharraf. On statements of President Donald Trump regarding mediating a ceasefire, Kasuri said that 'this wasn't the first time, but the fifth time (that the US had intervened between India and Pakistan),' starting from former US defence secretary Robert Gates, former President Bill Clinton, former US Secretary of State Colin Powell and former President Barack Obama. Ever since the ceasefire on May 10, President Trump has repeatedly claimed that he brokered peace between India and Pakistan after the four-day military hostilities. New Delhi has consistently maintained that the two sides halted their actions following direct talks between their militaries without any mediation by the US. The seminar, titled 'India Pakistan Relations: Dialogue For Peace', organised by Delhi-based Centre for Peace and Progress, came in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, and had speakers from India and Pakistan interacting virtually on the future of ties. It also came just a day after the US designated The Resistance Front — a shadow outfit of banned terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack — as a foreign terrorist organisation. Kasuri also batted for 'discreet, back-channel National Security Advisor-level talks' between the two countries. 'If NSAs are not acceptable, anybody who has the confidence in the two governments, the two Prime Ministers should be (holding talks)… with the sole purpose of preventing the next war,' he said. Tanvir Sadiq, NC MLA from J&K, among the speakers from the Indian side, said there is stalemate right now in the ties, with the two countries just coming back from the brink of war. However, he said, 'Do you think this is an appropriate time for India and Pakistan to talk? Sadly, no. But do India and Pakistan have to talk? Definitely, yes.' However, without naming any third country, Sadiq batted for 'friends' of both countries to bring them together for talks. 'If you think India and Pakistan will sit on the table and discuss things that won't be possible. We will have to get friends of both India and Pakistan to make sure the two neighbours sit on the table,' added the legislator from Srinagar's Zadibal. Former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, T C A Raghavan, said that the present crisis comes from a problem of a structural nature. 'Across the political spectrum in both countries, every shade of political opinion at some point of time or the other has been in government, and during those times, there has been an India-Pakistan problem,' he said, adding that it is not something which has happened only now. For 35 years, the nature of the structural problem has focussed itself on terrorism, he said. 'No formula can resolve it; you can live with it or work around it… There was a greater understanding of that problem in Pakistan 20 years ago than it is now,' he said, referring to ex-Pakistan President Musharraf assuring India of not using terrorism to advance his political aims. Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More
