‘What message have they sent to cricket as a whole and to the fans?’
‘Now don't play in the World Cup... don't play against us in any ICC tournament. Make this a promise’
‘Don't play against us at any level or tournament. Not even the Olympics’
India’s decision to pull out of their World Championship of Legends (WCL) match against Pakistan has sparked fresh controversy, with former cricketers, fans, and officials weighing in on the broader implications for India-Pakistan sporting ties.
What was meant to be a veterans’ contest has reignited a familiar debate over politics, patriotism, and the role of sport as diplomatic leverage.
Although the match was scheduled between former players, including Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions and Pakistan Champions, the implications of the withdrawal extend well beyond retired cricketers. With India and Pakistan already only facing off in multi-nation events such as ICC tournaments, calls are growing louder for a complete boycott—across all formats and platforms.
Former Pakistan opener Salman Butt has been among the most vocal critics of the decision.
He questioned the rationale behind India’s withdrawal and demanded consistency in their stance, even when it comes to high-stakes ICC tournaments or global multi-sport events like the Olympics.
‘The whole world is talking about them—what message have they sent to cricket as a whole and to the fans? What are you trying to show? What are you trying to prove? Now don't play in the World Cup... don't play against us in any ICC tournament. Make this a promise,’ Butt said on his YouTube channel.
‘See, we understand that everything has its own place. But now that you are interlinking, don't play against us at any level or tournament. Not even the Olympics. Please do that. I would love to see. The stakes would be high, and I'd see how much nationalism they can show at that level.’
Butt also implied that the Indian team’s decision to forfeit the match might have come under internal pressure and may not have been unanimously agreed upon by all players.
‘What is this mindset? I just can't understand. Who is making this decision? Those 4-5 people who decided not to play—because of them, others, who probably had the mindset to play, felt pressured.’
The much-anticipated clash between the two sides in Birmingham was set to mark India’s title defence. However, hours before the start, India pulled out of the game reportedly due to diplomatic tensions between the two countries following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India’s subsequent Operation Sindoor.
Indian players including captain Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan were among those who withdrew from the fixture.
Following the no-show, tournament organisers called off the match and issued an apology for ‘unintentionally causing discomfort’ to the Indian players.
The situation escalated when the Pakistan Champions refused to share points with India, arguing that since India had pulled out, the points should be fully awarded to them.
WCL sources confirmed to ANI that while the match was called off, the India Champions were not held at fault.
‘WCL have conveyed to England and Wales Cricket Board that they, as organisers, were not able to conduct this match. The India Champions team are not at fault. Pakistan Champions team are not willing to share points because they are saying that it is India who backed out, not them,’ sources told ANI.
Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan echoed this view, saying his team deserves full points for the abandoned match.
‘If we reach the final, then the decisions regarding that will be made then. And as for this match, the two points will be awarded to us, and we deserve those points as per the rules,’ Khan said.
Pakistan, who finished as runners-up in the previous edition, had earlier opened their campaign with a five-run win over England. They are scheduled to play South Africa on Friday, while India begin their campaign against the same side on Tuesday.
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