Explained: Why India vs Pakistan WCL clash was called off at Edgbaston
Just over a month into the second edition of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), a blockbuster clash between cricketing greats from India and Pakistan was set to light up Edgbaston on Sunday.
On the eve of the India-Pakistan encounter involving the cricket stars of yesteryear, the WCL opted to cancel the match and issued an apology for ‘hurting sentiments’.
Amid escalating geopolitical tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, several members of the Indian Legends squad, including former captain Shikhar Dhawan, withdrew from the high-profile fixture against Pakistan.
Dhawan shared a letter on X to confirm his non-participation in any of the games against Pakistan in the WCL. The former India opener stated that his decision had been conveyed earlier during discussions held via phone call and WhatsApp on 11th May 2025.
Team India stars bow out
According to a report filed by NDTV, legendary spinner Harbhajan Singh and 2011 World Cup winner Yusuf Pathan also pulled out of the WCL match against Pakistan. The former Indian cricketers are members of the Indian parliament.
Singh is an Upper House (Rajya Sabha) member representing the Aam Aadmi Party, while Pathan is a Lower House (Lok Sabha) MP from Baharampur, representing the Trinamool Congress.
However, neither Singh nor Pathan released an official statement after their participation in the match against Pakistan sparked a backlash on social media. The Indian cricketers made their decision in light of the current geopolitical climate between India and Pakistan, following the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian government.
Traditional rivals India and Pakistan have limited their meetings in international cricket to ICC events - the World Cups and the Champions Trophy.
Dhawan and Afridi’s fiery clash
Dhawan was involved in a social media spat with former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, a member of the Pakistan Champions squad, after Afridi publicly blamed India for the Pahalgam attacks.
“In view of the current geopolitical situation and the prevailing tensions between India and Pakistan, Mr. Dhawan and his team have taken this position after due consideration. We respectfully request the league’s understanding and cooperation on this matter,” Dhawan said in the statement.
Sponsor pulls out
The aftermath of the Pahalgam attack also triggered a strong reaction from the public and commercial stakeholders. A wave of opposition swept across social media and public forums, ultimately compelling organisers to cancel the match.
Taking a definitive stand as sponsors, travel company EaseMyTrip publicly withdrew support from any fixture involving Pakistan, reaffirming its allegiance to the Indian cricketers.
WCL breaks silence on cancellation
India and Pakistan have not featured in a bilateral series for over a decade, with political tensions between the two nations continuing to keep international cricketing ties on hold. Team India outclassed Pakistan by five wickets to win the WCL title in its inaugural edition last year at Birmingham’s Edgbaston.
Despite WCL’s intention to revive some “happy memories” through an India-Pakistan legends clash, organisers were ultimately forced to cancel the high-profile fixture in Birmingham.
“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.
“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. Hence, we have decided to call off the India vs Pakistan match. 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,” it added.