Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has withdrawn his name from the Indian team that was set to play in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) in London.
Announcing his decision on social media, Dhawan said: “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!”
With the above message, there was a screenshot of an e-mail that is likely written to the management of WCL. It says: “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 during our discussion on call and WhatsApp dated 11th May 2025.
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’s decision to boycott the match against Pakistan is the result of recent developments between the two South Asian neighbors.
Why Is Shikhar Dhawan Taking This Action?
The political relations between India and Pakistan have hit rock bottom in recent months following the Pahalgam attack in Kashmir.
On 22 April this year, five Pakistani terrorists entered India and opened fired on tourists in Pahalgam district of Kashmir.
They reportedly asked the religion of the tourists before shooting them to death.
After 26 tourists were killed by the Pakistani terrorists, India said that a Pakistani terror group called The Resistance Front was responsible for the attack.
In response, India launched Operation Sindoor against the terrorists and their infrastructure in Pakistan.
Various other measures were taken by the Indian government to diplomatically isolate Pakistan.
These included banning their TV serials and music albums in India.
After this step by Dhawan, it remains to be seen if other Indian players follow suit and boycott the matches in WCL League cricket.
What is WCL?
The event features retired players from six nations including India, Pakistan, England, Australia, South Africa, and the West Indies.
This year, the tournament is set to be played from July 18 to August 2, 2025.
Notably, the India vs Pakistan match is scheduled for July 20 at Edgbaston.
Other players in the Indian team are: Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Piyush Chawla, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Siddarth Kaul, Gurkeerat Maan.
Also Read: LA 2028 Olympics Cricket: Will India And Pakistan Miss Out On Epic Showdown?
