Former Team India opener Shikhar Dhawan recently talked about his decision not to play against the Pakistan Legends team in the World Championship of Legends (WCL). Dhawan revealed that he informed the organizers two months before the incident that he would not participate in matches against Pakistan.
Dhawan retired from all forms of international and domestic cricket on 24 August 2024. The left -arm opener depicted 34 tests for India, 167 Odis and 68 T20I. He scored 10,867 international runs and also played more than 400 domestic matches for Delhi. The batsman started his home career in 2004.
India takes out of the World Championship of Legends Clash against Pakistan
A few months after the Pahgam terror attack, India faced India to face the Legends World Championship, where 26 Indian citizens were killed. The Government of India inaugurated Operation Sindor against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK).
Many people and social media users called for India to boycott Pakistan at every level, causing the match to be canceled. Prior to an official statement, some Indian players like Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina and Irfan Pathan had already said that they were not ready to play.
In particular, the India Champions team pulled out of the semi -finals against Pakistan, leading the men to the final, where they played and lost against South African veterans.
I had already told the organizers two months ago – Shikhar Dhawan
Speaking on podcast with Raj Shamani, Shikhar Dhawan said that recent terrorist attacks, operation vermilion, and related events were still fresh in her mind. Dhawan said that he did not feel that it was right to play against Pakistan, citing the pain caused by attacks on Indian citizens.
“I had already told the organizers two months before the incident that I would not play against Pakistan. Because for me, I think whatever happened – terrorist attacks, operation vermilion and war – were still very raw and my soul was not ready to play. So I didn’t play. And at that time, I already told them that I didn’t want to play,” Shikhar Dhawan said.
“And even when I went there, I did not have the right to play against Pakistan at the time. And at that time, there was a little internal sadness because how things happened, the way our Indians, our Hindu brothers were attacked – it was very wrong. So, that was the injury. That is why I respected the injury and I went with it.”
“It is very unfortunate that these things happen in this era. See, someone’s family, their entire family was destroyed. Poor people, they had gone only for a journey. The family was destroyed. It’s very sad.”
We should play Pakistan in Asia Cup if … – Shikhar Dhawan
The India Champions team stopped the Games at the World Championship of Legends, but men in Blue faced Pakistan three times in the Asia Cup and won all matches.
Dhawan said that if the government asks him to play against Pakistan in a tournament like Asia Cup, they should follow that instruction.
Dhawan said, “If the government says that we should play Pakistan in the Asia Cup, then we should play.”
He also recalled the hot exchange with former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi after the World Championship of Legends Forfits. Afridi commented on the Indian Army, and Dhawan responded to the context of the Kargil war on social media.
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