ISLAMABAD: Pakistani veteran cricket stars on Sunday voiced their disappointment after their match against India, part of the “World Championship of Legends (WCL)” tournament, was called off on Sunday, with Indian players withdrawing because of political tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi.
Sporting ties between arch-rivals India and Pakistan have remained limited due to years of political tensions, which heightened after the two countries engaged in a four-day military standoff over an attack in the disputed Kashmir region before a ceasefire was reached on May 10.
The WCL is a T20 tournament approved by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) held in England every year. The tournament features retired and non-contracted players from cricketing giants, including England, India, Pakistan, Australia, West Indies and South Africa.
“On behalf of Pakistan Champions, we express our deep disappointment over WCL’s decision to call off the match against India,” Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan said in a statement.
“This decision not only undermines the spirit of the game but has let down cricket fans across the globe.”
In a statement released on its social media accounts, the WCL said it had decided to call off the India-Pakistan match in Birmingham and apologized again for “hurting the sentiments” of Indian fans.
The league’s owners include its founder, Indian entrepreneur Harshit Tomar and Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn.
The WCL statement came hours after Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan wrote on X that he was withdrawing from India’s WCL matches with Pakistan.
“We believe cricket should rise above and transcend political differences,” Khan said.
