India vs Pakistan: Shahid Afridi breaks silence after WCL cancellation, says 'One Bad Egg...'

The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan clash in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 was cancelled on July 20, following objections from Indian players and sponsors.

After the cancellation, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi voiced his frustration. The decision came amid geopolitical tensions, particularly after the April 2025 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.

Afridi, speaking to the media, emphasized the need to separate sports from politics after the Indian players decided not to play.

"We are here to play cricket, and I've always said that cricket should be kept away from politics - it should move forward," Afridi was quoted as saying.

He expressed disappointment over the last-minute withdrawal by Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, and the Pathan brothers, who cited the geopolitical climate and Afridi's past controversial remarks against India.

"If [India] didn't want to play against Pakistan, they should've refused before coming here. But now you've arrived, even held practice sessions, and then suddenly changed everything in a single day," Afridi added.

The former all-rounder singled out one Indian cricketer, without naming Dhawan explicitly, calling him a "bad egg" who influenced others to boycott the match.

"Sports bring people closer, but if politics gets involved in everything, how will we move forward? Until we sit together and discuss issues, nothing will improve - lack of communication only makes things worse. There's one bad egg that spoils everything for everyone else," he further added.

The WCL organizers issued an apology, acknowledging they "unintentionally caused discomfort" to Indian players and fans. The decision to schedule the match was inspired by recent India-Pakistan sporting events like volleyball, but it backfired amid public backlash.

"We sincerely apologise again for hurting the sentiments and hope people will understand that all we ever wanted was to bring a few happy moments to the fans," their statement read.

The tournament will continue till August 2 and it is to be seen how things pan out if these two nations are slated to face each other in the knockouts.