India-Pakistan cricket match called off after players pull out in World Championship of Legends

Dubai: The much-anticipated match between the Indian Legends and Pakistan Legends at the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) has officially been called off after several players withdrew from the Sunday’s fixture. The tournament organisers announced the decision on Saturday.

In a statement, WCL organisers said the India-Pakistan match was scheduled in the spirit of fostering goodwill, inspired by a recent friendly volleyball encounter between the two countries.

“The fixture was planned to create happy memories for fans,” the statement read. “But we understand that it may have caused unease to the Indian legends and fans. We sincerely apologise for hurting sentiments and have decided to cancel the match.”

The cancellation follows public declarations from former India cricketers, including Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, who confirmed they would not take part in the match.

Sources suggest that other Indian players have also privately communicated similar decisions.

Indian Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya recently spoke to the media and clarified on the country's stance — stating that India has no objection to playing Pakistan in multilateral sporting events,

India and Pakistan were set to face off in Birmingham on Sunday — in what would have been their first cricket meeting since the escalation of tensions between the two nations following the Pahalgam terror attack.

India Legends are the defending WCL champions, having defeated Pakistan in last year’s final, which featured both Shahid Afridi and the Indian stalwarts.

— With inputs from IANS