9 hours agoDid Shahid Afridi Single Out Shikhar Dhawan for WCL Match Cancellation?
Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has directly blamed Shikhar Dhawan for the cancellation of the India-Pakistan World Championship of Legends match on Sunday, in inflammatory language, sparking diplomatic tensions in the cricket circles.
The match at Birmingham's Edgbaston was called off after multiple Indian players refused to participate due to Afridi's inclusion in the Pakistan squad. However, Afridi's post-cancellation press conference revealed he held one player specifically responsible for the fiasco.
"They trained the day before the match. I believe they withdrew just because of one person. Even the Indian team is quite disappointed. They came here to play. I'm telling you, you should represent your country well, not bring shame to it," Afridi told local media, according to Crictoday.
The Pakistan all-rounder specifically referenced Dhawan as a "rotten egg," claiming the opener influenced other Indian players' decisions. Afridi told local media: "Sport has the power to bring nations together. If politics interferes with everything, how can progress be made? Without communication, solutions are impossible. The purpose of such events is to meet and interact directly. But, as always, there's one bad apple that ruins it all."
To hear Afridi's complete statement, watch this at Geo News.
Dhawan had publicly reaffirmed his stance on Saturday, posting on social media: "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!".
The controversy stems from Afridi's controversial statements about India during April's Pahalgam terror attack period. Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and Yusuf Pathan were among other players who initially refused participation, though no official communication from these players has been confirmed.
The incident raises questions about individual versus collective responsibility in team withdrawals. Tournament sources indicate multiple players had concerns about Afridi's participation, suggesting broader institutional opposition rather than single-player influence.
This incident exposes deeper structural challenges within cricket's governance framework for India-Pakistan relations, where individual player autonomy can override established commercial commitments and broader sporting diplomacy initiatives.
The match at Birmingham's Edgbaston was called off after multiple Indian players refused to participate due to Afridi's inclusion in the Pakistan squad. However, Afridi's post-cancellation press conference revealed he held one player specifically responsible for the fiasco.
"They trained the day before the match. I believe they withdrew just because of one person. Even the Indian team is quite disappointed. They came here to play. I'm telling you, you should represent your country well, not bring shame to it," Afridi told local media, according to Crictoday.
The Pakistan all-rounder specifically referenced Dhawan as a "rotten egg," claiming the opener influenced other Indian players' decisions. Afridi told local media: "Sport has the power to bring nations together. If politics interferes with everything, how can progress be made? Without communication, solutions are impossible. The purpose of such events is to meet and interact directly. But, as always, there's one bad apple that ruins it all."
To hear Afridi's complete statement, watch this at Geo News.
Dhawan had publicly reaffirmed his stance on Saturday, posting on social media: "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!".
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.
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) July 19, 2025
Jai Hind! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/gLCwEXcrnR
The controversy stems from Afridi's controversial statements about India during April's Pahalgam terror attack period. Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and Yusuf Pathan were among other players who initially refused participation, though no official communication from these players has been confirmed.
The incident raises questions about individual versus collective responsibility in team withdrawals. Tournament sources indicate multiple players had concerns about Afridi's participation, suggesting broader institutional opposition rather than single-player influence.
This incident exposes deeper structural challenges within cricket's governance framework for India-Pakistan relations, where individual player autonomy can override established commercial commitments and broader sporting diplomacy initiatives.
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