Latest news with #IrfanPathan
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
India vs Pakistan row! Shahid Afridi-Ajay Devgn viral image from WCL sparks controversy: What really happened?
NEW DELHI: The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan match in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, scheduled for July 20 at Edgbaston, Birmingham, was cancelled by the organisers after widespread outrage on social media. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The backlash followed the tragic that claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists, prompting fans to question the timing and ethics of former Indian cricketers participating in the match. Amid mounting pressure, several ex-India players — including Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, and Suresh Raina — pulled out of the fixture. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Dhawan revealed he had informed the organisers as early as May 11 about his decision to not play against Pakistan. Adding fuel to the controversy were viral photos showing WCL co-owner and Bollywood actor alongside former Pakistan captain . Though the images resurfaced recently, they were taken during the inaugural edition of the tournament last year, not in 2025. Still, the backlash intensified due to Afridi's earlier derogatory remarks about the Indian Army. On Sunday morning, the organisers officially confirmed the cancellation and issued a public apology: 'We sincerely apologise 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.' EXCLUSIVE: Nitish Kumar Reddy ruled out of England Test series The 2025 WCL began on July 18 with a clash between England Champions and Pakistan Champions. India Champions will next face South Africa Champions on Tuesday, July 21. Ajay Devgn had attended matches at Edgbaston during the inaugural edition in 2024, which concluded with India defeating Pakistan in the final.
NDTV
12 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
What Happens If India Face Pakistan Again In World Championship Of Legends? Pak Team Owner Explains
The cancellation of India vs Pakistan match in the World Championship of legends has added many complexities to the format of the tournament. India were to start their journey in WCL 2025 with their opening match against Pakistan on Sunday but players like Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, etc. refuse to play against the neighbouring country over political tensions, forcing the organisers to cancel the match. However, the two teams can play each other again in the semi-finals, if they both qualify. The organisers already need to be prepared for such a situation, with a potential final between India and Pakistan also a likely outcome, if they both qualify for the semi-finals and win their respective penultimate matches. When Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan was asked about the tournament's immediate future from here on, he sai that the WCL will continue as per the fixture decided, with no changes ahead. He further said that WCL might need to step in if the two teams face each other again in the knockouts. "All the remaining matches are taking place. The tournament is going on as per schedule, and there are 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," he said. Kamil also confirmed that the 2 points for the match will be awarded to Pakistan as it was the Indian team that withdrew from the contest. "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," he added.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
a day ago
- Business
- First Post
WCL sponsor boycotts Pakistan as organisers cancel India match: 'We do not support match that includes Pakistan'
The fallout from the controversy surrounding the now-cancelled India vs Pakistan match at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 continues, as one of the major sponsors has announced a boycott of Pakistan's matches in the tournament. read more The World Championship of Legends (WCL) organisers are facing immense criticism on social media as they were forced to cancel the India vs Pakistan match, scheduled for Sunday (20 July) at Edgbaston. Now, one of the major sponsors of the event, an Indian company, has distanced itself from the matches against Pakistan, stating that they don't want to be a part of any games involving the Pakistan legends. EaseMyTrip, a travel-tech company and the official sponsor of the WCL, has released a statement on X (formerly Twitter) stating that they had informed the organisers at the start of the 2025 tournament that they do not want to associate with Pakistan matches. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD EaseMyTrip distances itself from matches vs Pakistan '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,' the sponsor said on X. Official Statement from EaseMyTrip 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… — (@EaseMyTrip) July 19, 2025 '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,' the sponsor added. Meanwhile, the WCL organisers have apologised for 'hurting' the sentiments of Indian fans. They also regretted causing 'discomfort' to Indian legends and 'affecting' their sponsors. '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 in a statement. Meanwhile, a report has claimed that the match was cancelled after former Indian cricket greats, including Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh pulled out from the contest against Pakistan. The legendary Indian cricketers were reportedly not happy that Shahid Afridi, a well-known critic of the Indian government, was part of the match.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Why was India vs Pakistan WCL match cancelled? An entire timeline of events
The World Championship of Legends on Sunday called off the match between India and Pakistan, scheduled for July 20 at Edgbaston, after several Indian legends opted out. The tournament began on June 18 at Edgbaston and is scheduled for an August 2 final. India vs Pakistan WCL match was called off after several legends pulled out 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.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Harbhajan, Pathan brothers pull out of IND vs PAK WCL match amid Pahalgam backlash; fixture set to be cancelled: Report
The India vs Pakistan match at the World Championship of Legends (WCL 2025) is reportedly set to be cancelled, with some players having already pulled out from the fixture. According to RevSportz, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan have already pulled out of the India vs Pakistan WCL match. The decision also comes after the Indian WCL team players were criticised by fans for playing against Pakistan, especially after the recent Pahalgam terror attack. Harbhajan Singh and the Pathan brothers have pulled out of the India vs Pakistan WCL match.(ANI/PTI) The Indian WCL team were recently at the receiving end of criticism of fans after it was revealed that Shahid Afridi would be part of the Pakistan team too. The Indian captain Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan were also involved in social media war with the likes of Afridi over his anti-India remarks. The Pahalgam terror attack saw 26 civilians get killed by armed terrorists near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. The attack's responsibiity was initially claimed by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor, with missile strikes on terrorism-related infrastructure and facilities of Pakistan-based militant groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan across the border. Even Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling and drone attacks, which was foiled by India. Although there has been no official update on the match, it is scheduled for July 20, and is set to begin at 9:00 PM IST. It will be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham. According to reports, even other Indian players are expected to withdraw from the upcoming fixture. But there hasn't been any other confirmation yet. Also, the BCCI doesn't have any control over the participation of Indian players at the WCL, since it is an independent tournament and doesn't fall under their jurisdiction.
