Harbhajan Singh has reportedly decided not to play in the upcoming World Championship of Legends (WCL) match against Pakistan. This move came after he faced a lot of anger and backlash online, especially with the recent Pahalgam attack still fresh in people’s minds.
WCL India vs Pakistan Clash Draws Heavy Reactions
The India vs Pakistan match in WCL which going to happen on July 20 in Birmingham is now in lot of talks. Many people on social media not feeling good that old Indian players are playing against Pakistan just after all that tension between both countries.
Shikhar Dhawan and some other Indian cricketers have been criticised online. They’re all part of the WCL tournament, and people feel it’s not the right time to play against Pakistan, considering what happened in Pahalgam just a few months ago.
This is only the second season of the World Championship of Legends, but instead of just being about cricket, it’s getting more attention for political reasons and online fights.
Afridi’s Comments Added More Fire to WCL Drama
After the Pahalgam incident, a few Pakistani players, including Shahid Afridi, were very vocal against India. Some reports say Afridi even abused Prime Minister Modi and held victory rallies, which made things worse.
Shikhar Dhawan didn’t stay quiet. He replied to Afridi saying, “Kargil mein bhi haraya tha, already itna gire hue ho aur kitna giroge, bewajah comments pass karne se acha hai apne desh ki taraqqi mai dimag lagao @SAfridiOfficial.”
Kargil mein bhi haraya tha, already itna gire hue ho aur kitna giroge, bewajah comments pass karne se acha hai apne desh ki taraqqi mai dimag lagao @SAfridiOfficial. Humein hamari Indian Army par bohot garv hai. Bharat Mata Ki Jai! Jai Hind!https://t.co/5PVA34CNSe
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) April 28, 2025
Now, just a few weeks later, Dhawan and Afridi will be playing in the same match. That has confused and upset a lot of fans who were backing Dhawan’s earlier stand.
Indian Cricketers Slammed for Playing WCL With Pakistan Stars
Apart from Dhawan, players like Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, and Irfan Pathan are also in the WCL team. They’ll be sharing the ground with Pakistan players like Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, and Shoaib Malik, which hasn’t gone down well with many people online.
While the WCL also features stars from England, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa, it’s the India vs Pakistan match that’s catching all the attention — and not in a good way.
Some fans believe cricket should stay away from politics, but others feel the timing and the situation make it a wrong call to play this match.
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