“Match was cancelled due to one bad egg:” Shahid Afridi on WCL Pakistan vs India clash

Former Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi expressed disappointment over the last-minute cancellation of the highly anticipated Pakistan-India match in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL), urging both nations to keep politics out of sports.

Addressing the media following the match’s cancellation, Afridi stressed the importance of sports diplomacy, calling cricket a unifying force that has historically helped ease tensions between the two nations.

“Cricket should not be sacrificed for politics,” Afridi said. “In the past, we’ve seen how sports have helped improve relations. There is nothing more powerful than sports in bringing people together.”

Afridi revealed that the Pakistan team had prepared extensively for the high-profile clash and expressed frustration at the late notice. 

“Fans were excited to watch the match. That’s why I emphasise that one should be a better representative of their country rather than becoming an embarrassment. The Indian team also came to play, but they were very disappointed, all because of one person. The match was cancelled due to one bad egg,” he added.

Cricket star Shahid Afridi and Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan speak after the much-anticipated World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 fixture between cricketing arch-rivals Pakistan and India has been officially called off @SAfridiOfficial @13kamilkhan pic.twitter.com/TDxceBon72

— Murtaza Ali Shah (@MurtazaViews) July 20, 2025

As per reports, the WCL match was cancelled after objections from several Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, and Harbhajan Singh, who reportedly opposed playing due to Afridi’s inclusion in the squad. 

The organisers, facing increasing pressure from Indian media and players, ultimately decided to cancel the match to avoid further controversy.

Read: WCL match between Pakistan and India called off after Indian players object to Shahid Afridi's participation

“T“The whole Pakistani team wanted to play, sit together, talk, and engage,” Afridi continued.

“A nation that wants to move forward does not fight over petty issues. If someone had a personal issue with me, if I had known this earlier, I could have stayed away, but the match should not have been cancelled.”

The tournament, which is being played in England, saw Pakistan win their opening match against England under the leadership of Mohammad Hafeez. The remaining fixtures of the World Championship of Legends will continue as scheduled.

Afridi concluded with a direct message to India, “Sports come first. If we allow politics to interfere with every aspect of life, there will be no solutions, only more problems.”

The Pakistan-India match had been scheduled for Sunday in Birmingham and was one of the most anticipated games of the tournament.