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BIRMINGHAM: Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has shared his thoughts following the cancellation of the high-stakes encounter between India vs. Pakistan Champions at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.
The much-awaited encounter between arch-rivals was officially cancelled just hours before the two teams were set to meet at Edgbaston on Sunday.
The organisers made the announcement through a statement posted on the tournament’s official social media platforms, confirming the cancellation of what was expected to be a marquee clash.
“We at WCL have always cherished and loved cricket, and our only aim has been to give fans some good, happy moments,” the statement read.
Now, Shahid Afridi has stated that they came to England to play cricket, noting that politics should be kept away from cricket.
“There is no fault of mine in this, and I have always advocated keeping politics away from cricket. We have come here to play cricket, and we must move forward,” he said.
“Nations that aim to achieve something in the world focus on progress and do not get bogged down by trivial matters,” Afridi added.
Former all-rounder also questioned the India Champions for not facing the Pakistan Champions, despite being aware of the tournament’s scheduling.
“I would just like to say that one should be a good ambassador for their country, not a source of embarrassment.
We are here to play cricket. If you were not willing to play against Pakistan, you should have refused before coming here. Yet, you came, participated in practice sessions, and then on the very day, everything unfolded like this,” he said.
Shahid Afridi noted that if he had known the situation, he would not have come to the ground while emphasizing that the game is bigger than any of the players.
“If I had known that the match was being cancelled because of me, I wouldn’t have even gone to the stadium.”
“Cricket is bigger than all of us. The game comes first, even bigger than Shahid Afridi. Don’t bring politics into the sport. If someone doesn’t want to play, then let them play their own game elsewhere. Cricket is far greater than all this,” he concluded.
For the unversed, the ongoing edition marks the second installment of the WCL, following the inaugural tournament held in 2024, in which India and Pakistan competed in the final.
READ: Pakistan Champions owner reacts to WCL calling off India-Pakistan clash
