The highly anticipated India vs Pakistan match in the second edition of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) has been officially called off after several Indian cricket legends opted out, reportedly in protest of the Pahalgam terror attack that occurred in April this year.
Originally scheduled for July 20, the match was set to mark the first cricketing encounter between the two nations since the April 22 attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which had reignited cross-border tensions.
In a statement released on Sunday, the WCL organisers acknowledged the emotional backlash triggered by the fixture’s announcement. They said the idea was born out of a desire to build goodwill through sport, inspired by recent positive engagements between the two countries, such as a friendly volleyball match and the Pakistan hockey team’s visit to India.
“We at WCL have always cherished and loved cricket. Our only aim has been to give fans some good, happy moments,” the statement read.
“But in the process, we may have unintentionally hurt the feelings of many and stirred strong emotions.”
The organisers admitted that the match announcement had caused discomfort among not only fans but also participating Indian cricket veterans and brand partners associated with the tournament.
“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 match,” the WCL said, offering a public apology.
According to a report by India Today, several former Indian cricketers — including Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, and Irfan Pathan — were among those who declined to participate. While not all players issued formal statements, their withdrawal is widely believed to be a response to the Pahalgam terror attack and the public sentiment that followed.
Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan had made his stance clear much earlier. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) dated May 11, Dhawan shared a screenshot of an email he had sent to WCL officials, stating his intention to opt out of any India-Pakistan fixture.
“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 to me, and nothing is above it.”)
The cancellation has reignited a longstanding debate in Indian sporting circles—should sporting ties be insulated from geopolitical tensions, or must they reflect prevailing national sentiment?
As India continues to grapple with the emotional and political aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, the answer remains as complex as ever.