Shikhar Dhawan reveals saying NO to Pakistan clash long before WCL drama erupted
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India vs Pakistan match in the World Championship of Legends has been cancelled, as the organisers have made an official apology, while the Edgbaston authorities have guaranteed the return of ticket prices as well.
The match was scheduled to be held on the 20th of July 2025, on Sunday, and was scheduled to be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham. These decisions were made after there was a large public outrage on social media regarding former Indian players stepping back from squaring off against Pakistan.
Former Indian batter Shikhar Dhawan was among the first names to have pulled out of the upcoming World Championship of Legends 2025 match against Pakistan.
Shikhar Dhawan first to deny playing against Pakistan
Since India has not played in any bilateral series for over a decade in international cricket, the two teams often meet in international multi-team tournaments organized by the ICC as well as the ACC. Such tournaments are usually witness to the great rivalry between the two teams.
This time, the WCL faces a backlash, as several players from the Indian legends have acknowledged the heinous incident that occurred at Pahalgam earlier this year. The Indian government might have retaliated to the attack, but the painful screams of the innocent civilians have wrenched the hearts of many.
Dhawan's official statement confirmed that he had informed the organisers well in advance that he wouldn't play the match against Pakistan at Birmingham. He said the confirmation was given dating back to 11th May, weeks after the incident.
Mail drafted by Shikhar Dhawan to Organizers
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
Shikhar Dhawan, through his social media post on X, confirmed that he still stands firm on the decision not to feature against Pakistan. Alongside it, he also shared a screenshot of the mail his team sent to the official organisers.
The mail reads, “This is to formally reiterate and confirm that Mr. Shikhar Dhawan will not be participating in any matches against the Pakistan team in the upcoming WCL League. This decision was communicated earlier during our discussion on call and WhatsApp dated 11th May 2025.”
“In view of the current geopolitical situation and 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,” the mail read further.
Along with this, Shikhar Dhawan himself wrote on his X handle, “Jo Kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh see badhkar aur kuch nahi hota."
Pathan Brothers and Harbhajan Singh pull out as well
According to reports in RevSportz, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan also decided to pull out of the match against Pakistan. Here, the BCCI doesn't control the players on their participation in the WCL.
The Pakistan team is led by their former skipper Mohammad Hafeez in the WCL.
ALSO READ: India vs Pakistan match cancelled ahead of Asia Cup 2025; Top stars pull out
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India National Cricket Team Shikhar Dhawan Harbhajan Singh Irfan Pathan Yusuf Pathan World Championship of Legends India vs Pakistan Pakistan National Cricket Team
