Shahid Afridi Sparks Fresh India-Pakistan Cricket Row Over WCL Cancellation
The former Pakistani cricket captain Shahid Afridi stirred up controversy once more ahead of the India-Pakistan Asia Cup match 2025, making pointed comments about the cancellation of the World Championship of Legends 2025 fixture, and veiled digs against Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj.
Shahid Afridi, speaking on Samaa TV ahead of Sunday’s important encounter at Dubai International Stadium, expressed his disappointment over the last-minute cancellation of the WCL Match between India Champions vs Pakistan Champions. After social media backlash and the withdrawal of players, the match was cancelled. It was supposed to be a WCL match between retired cricketers from India and Pakistan.
Shahid Afridi said in a television interview that he has “always said cricket should continue; it’s always improved relations between our two countries.” In England, the WCL game was being watched by many people who had purchased tickets. The players also had practised. You didn’t even play. Was the reasoning? I just can’t understand.”
This controversy began earlier in the year, when some prominent Indian cricketers withdrew their names from the WCL. These included Shikhar Raina, Harbhajan, Irfan, Pathan and Suresh. Dhawan clarified publicly on social media that his withdrawal from any Pakistani match was informed to organisers in advance.
Shahid Afridi escalated things with his latest remarks, referring to an earlier “bad-egg” comment without specifying specific players. Afridi stated, “If I named any players, their lives will be hardened.” Afridi said, “The player that I called a bad apple, his captain told him: ‘If you don’t want to play, then don’t.’ Don’t use social media. The player was there for a different reason. “That is why he was such a bad apple.”
Shahid Afridi’s comments come at a time when the atmosphere around the India-Pakistan Asia Cup is already heated. This match comes after the Pahalgam terrorist attack and Operation Sindoor. Indian fans are increasingly calling for a boycott, expressing their frustration at the match continuing despite the national sentiments.
Experts in cricket believe Shahid Afridi’s remarks reflect the larger challenges that India-Pakistan Cricket Relations face, as sports are often intertwined with political and social tensions. In his entire career, the former all-rounder always pushed for cricket diplomacy to be established between India and Pakistan.
Cricket fans around the world were disappointed by WCL. They wanted to see legends from both countries competing once more. Due to mounting pressure from players and the tournament organisers, the India-Pakistan match was cancelled.
Shahid Afridi was a Pakistani captain who was one of the best-known figures in cricket. Afridi is known for his leg-spin and aggressive batting styles. He played 99 Test matches and 398 One Day Internationals for Pakistan in his long and illustrious cricket career. He was vocal in his efforts to promote cricket as a link between India and Pakistan during the years following his retirement.
