Daijiworld Media Network- London

London, Jul 22: Tensions surrounding the India-Pakistan clash in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) took a fresh turn on Monday as organisers issued a clarification regarding the cancelled fixture. According to WCL sources, the tournament’s administration has officially informed the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that the match could not be conducted and the Indian team bore no responsibility for the cancellation.

The much-anticipated match, scheduled to be held at Edgbaston in Birmingham, was called off amid a diplomatic chill following the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of Indian tourists. In the wake of the incident, several former Indian cricketers, including Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, opted out of the encounter against Pakistan.

Sources revealed that the Pakistan Champions team has refused to share points with India Champions, citing that the Indian players had backed out of the match. WCL officials, however, emphasised that the inability to host the game was entirely logistical and not due to fault from the Indian side.

Shikhar Dhawan took to social media platform X to share an email sent to WCL organisers dated May 11, clearly stating his decision to withdraw from the Pakistan match in light of the prevailing geo-political climate. “Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota,” he wrote, reaffirming his stance.

The decision has sparked debate, with fans and officials weighing in on the broader implications for sporting ties between the two nations. In the previous edition of the WCL, India had defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the final to clinch the title.