Latest news with #SureshRaina
Mint
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Mint
WCL 2025: Pakistan Champions refuse to share points with Yuvraj Singh's side, says 'India backed out'
World Championship of Legends on Monday informed the England and Wales Cricket Board that they were unable to conduct the match between India and Pakistan and that the Indian team was not at fault, according to an ANI report. Reports suggest players including Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan decided to pull out following public backlash over the Pahalgam attacks and heightened hostilities in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. While these players did not officially confirm their withdrawal, former India batter Shikhar Dhawan posted a statement on social media sharing an email he had sent to the organisers, informing them of his decision not to participate in the clash against Pakistan. Ahead of the clash on Sunday, WCL released a statement confirming that the IND-PAK fixture had been scrapped and apologised to the Indian public and legends. The ANI report, citing WCL sources, noted that the Pakistan Champions are not willing to share points with their arch-rivals given that the match was called off due to Indian players' unwillingness to participate. 'WCL have conveyed to the England and Wales Cricket Board that they, as organisers, were not able to conduct this match. The India Champions team are not at fault. The Pakistan Champions team are not willing to share points because they are saying that it is India who backed out, not them,' a WCL source was quoted by the agency as saying. Meanwhile, Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan recently stated that his team deserves the two points for the clash. '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 told the media. '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,' Khan added.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
India-Pakistan WCL match called off: Pakistan Champions says India backed out, denies point share
The highly anticipated Legends clash between India and Pakistan in the World Champions of Legends tournament has been cancelled due to organizational issues, with India bearing no fault. Several Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina, withdrew citing geopolitical tensions following a tragic terrorist attack. Pakistan Champions are reluctant to share points, leading to further complications. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The much-anticipated Legends clash between India and Pakistan in the ongoing World Champions of Legends (WCL) tournament has officially been called off. The fixture, scheduled to be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham, was cancelled after the organisers informed the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) of their inability to host the match, clearly stating that the Indian team bore no responsibility for the WCL issued an official statement on Monday confirming the cancellation, with insiders revealing that several former Indian cricketers, including Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, had declined to participate due to prevailing geopolitical tensions. Their refusal follows the tragic terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam on April 22, which has further strained diplomatic ties between India and to WCL sources, the Pakistan Champions team has expressed reluctance to share points with their Indian counterparts, arguing that India's withdrawal led to the cancellation. A WCL official told ANI, 'We have informed the ECB that the match could not be conducted due to organisational reasons. The India Champions are not at fault. However, the Pakistan Champions are not willing to share points, claiming that India backed out.'Shikhar Dhawan, one of the prominent players to opt out, shared his stance on social media platform X, attaching a copy of an email sent to WCL organisers on May 11. The email cited the geopolitical situation as the reason for the team's withdrawal. Dhawan wrote in Hindi, '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,' meaning, 'I stand by the decision I took on May 11. My country means everything to me, and nothing is greater than the nation.'Several other members of the India Champions squad have reportedly taken a similar stand, opting not to participate in the previous edition of the WCL, India Champions had triumphed over Pakistan Champions in the final, chasing down 157 with ease to clinch a five-wicket victory.[With TOI inputs]
NDTV
12 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
World Championship Of Legends Organisers Break Silence As Pakistan Refuse To Share Points: "India Not..."
The World Champions of Legends (WCL) sources on Monday informed that the organisers of the competition have conveyed to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that they were unable to conduct the match and there is no fault of the Indian team in this. Before the clash, WCL released a statement and confirmed that the India-Pakistan fixture at Edgbaston in Birmingham had been scrapped. According to various reports, several former Indian stars refused to participate in the fixture. The denial of Indian players to feature against Pakistan stems from the heinous terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam on April 22. Following the attack, the relationship between India and Pakistan slumped and hit a new low. According to WCL sources, the Pakistan Champions side is not willing to share points with their arch-rivals, the India Champions, as the match between the two sides was called off due to the Indian players pulling out of the fixture. Speaking about the clash, WCL sources told ANI, "WCL have conveyed to England and Wales Cricket Board that they, as organisers, were not able to conduct this match. The India Champions team are not at fault. Pakistan Champions team are not willing to share points because they are saying that it is India who backed out, not them." 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 stand by the decision I took on May 11. My country is everything for me and nothing is bigger than the country)" In the previous edition of the WCL, India Champions trounced Pakistan to secure a five-wicket victory in the final. India gunned down a 157-run target with a blistering batting display to lift the title.
India Today
a day ago
- Sport
- India Today
Rishabh Pant is the backbone of the Indian Test team: Suresh Raina
Former India batter Suresh Raina has described wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as the backbone of the Indian Test team. Pant has amassed 425 runs at an impressive average of 70.83 in the series so far, making him the second-highest run-scorer behind captain Shubman Gill. "Rishabh Pant is the backbone of the Indian Test team. The way he bats, the way he keeps on chirping from behind the stumps to disturb the opposition batters," Raina told India Today.
India Today
a day ago
- Sport
- India Today
Achieved 100 per cent of Op Sindoor targets: PM in his pre-monsoon session address
3:24 Former India batter Suresh Raina has described wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant as the backbone of the Indian Test team. Pant has amassed 425 runs at an impressive average of 70.83 in the series so far, making him the second-highest run-scorer behind captain Shubman Gill. "Rishabh Pant is the backbone of the Indian Test team. The way he bats, the way he keeps on chirping from behind the stumps to disturb the opposition batters," Raina told India Today.
