Why Harbhajan Singh Pulled Out vs Pakistan & Why Afridi Was Thrown Out From World Championship Of Legends?

Harbhajan Singh has withdrawn from the upcoming World Championship of Legends (WCL) recreation in opposition to Pakistan slated on Sunday July 20  after dealing with extreme public backlash. A number of experiences recommend he made the choice contemplating the deteriorating political local weather between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror assault. India and Pakistan don’t play bilateral cricket, and following the latest assault, there have been renewed calls to sever even multi-nation event engagements. The lethal incident in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of harmless civilians, led to India launching a counter-offensive navy operation named ‘Operation Sindoor’, focusing on terror bases throughout the border. Suresh Raina too has boycotted the match for a similar cause.

“My coronary heart goes out to relations of all those that misplaced their lives within the dastardly assault. This will’t be forgiven,” Harbhajan had written earlier.

In gentle of those developments, public sentiment throughout India has turned sharply in opposition to sporting ties with Pakistan, prompting outrage over the WCL conflict. This has probably contributed to Harbhajan Singh’s choice to drag out of the fixture.

Including to the controversy, event organisers have reportedly determined to exclude Shahid Afridi from the Pakistani squad. Afridi, identified for his outspoken political remarks in opposition to India, has lately made a number of inflammatory statements focusing on Indian residents. His exclusion from the WCL is considered as a precautionary transfer, given the unstable geopolitical local weather.

The match comes at a time of heightened navy and diplomatic pressure between the 2 nations. Pakistani participation within the WCL was already underneath scrutiny following the Pahalgam incident and India’s Operation Sindoor. Nevertheless, the anticipated T20 Asia Cup 2025, which is predicted to characteristic each international locations, has given the WCL organisers the leeway to permit the fixture to proceed, albeit with changes.

The World Championship of Legends is a privately-run league sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). It options six groups from India, Pakistan, England, West Indies, South Africa, and Australia. The league is co-owned by rapper and entrepreneur Harshit Tomar and Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn. Tomar is listed because the league’s CEO, with each house owners seen selling the league collectively.

India Champions

Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Piyush Chawla, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Siddarth Kaul, Gurkeerat Maan.

Pakistan Champions

Sohaib Maqsood, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asif Ali, Sharjeel Khan, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Aamer Yamin, Sohail Tanvir, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal