Any move to bar Pakistani athletes from such events would violate the Olympic Charter
India vs Pakistan Match cancelled Latest News: A veterans' cricket match between India and Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) has been cancelled following the refusal of several Indian players to participate, citing the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists.
The second edition of the World Championship of Legends, a veterans' T20 cricket tournament launched by the England and Wales Cricket Board, began on July 18, 2025, at Edgbaston. The league is co-owned by Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn and will run through early August, with the final scheduled for August 2.
The 2025 edition features six teams representing major cricketing nations—India, Pakistan, England, Australia, South Africa, and the West Indies. These veteran squads are competing in a T20-format round-robin, followed by semi-finals and a grand final across four venues in England.
The Indian team includes notable names like Yuvraj Singh (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, and Varun Aaron.
The WCL, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed regret over the controversy and announced the cancellation of the India vs Pakistan match. “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.
It further explained that the match was intended to continue the spirit of recent India vs Pakistan encounters in other sports, such as volleyball and the upcoming hockey tournaments. However, the WCL acknowledged that the decision ended up “hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions.” The organization also stated that the move unintentionally caused discomfort to Indian cricket legends and affected brands that supported the event purely out of love for the game. As a result, WCL confirmed the decision to call off the India vs Pakistan fixture and issued an apology for hurting public sentiment.
Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan issued a formal notification confirming his non-participation in any matches against the Pakistan team in the WCL. In the letter, dated May 11, 2025, Dhawan stated that the decision was made after due consideration, keeping in mind the current geopolitical situation and tensions between India and Pakistan. He also requested the league’s understanding and cooperation in this regard.
Other Indian veterans, including off-spin legend Harbhajan Singh and all-rounders Yusuf and Irfan Pathan, have also conveyed their decision to boycott the match against Pakistan.
While India does not engage in bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan due to ongoing political tensions, the Indian government has approved Pakistan’s participation in several upcoming international events hosted in India. These include the Hockey Asia Cup (August), Junior Hockey World Cup (November–December), Junior Shooting World Cup (September), and the World Para Athletics Championships (October).
Any move to bar Pakistani athletes from such events would violate the Olympic Charter, which serves as the constitution for the Olympic Movement. Specifically, Rule 44 of the Charter prohibits the exclusion of athletes based on political, racial, or religious grounds. Failure to grant visas could lead to international isolation and the loss of hosting rights for future global tournaments.
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