Shikhar Dhawan has been left off of India’s roster for the World Championship of Legends 2025 championship match between the India and Pakistan champions, which is scheduled for Sunday, July 20, in Edgbaston, Birmingham.
In what will be the start of the Yuvraj Singh-led team’s title defence, the former India opener was scheduled to make his tournament debut. In response to the Pahalgam terror attack that took place earlier this year in April, Dhawan posted a statement on social media announcing his intention to boycott all of the games against Pakistan.
“Uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon, jo kadam 11 May ko liya. Desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota, aur desh mere liye sab kuch hai [I still stand by the decision I made on May 11].
In his remark, Shikhar Dhawan stated, “My country means everything to me, and nothing is above the nation].”
The southpaw had previously stated on May 11 that he will participate in the competition but would not play in any matches against Pakistan. In the statement published in the early hours of Sunday, he restated his position.
“To the Team, I hope this email finds you in good health. This is to publicly announce and restate that Mr. Shikhar Shikhar Dhawan would not be playing in any of the forthcoming WCL League matches against the Pakistani side. Shikhar Dhawan official communication stated, “This decision was communicated earlier during our discussion on call and WhatsApp dated 11th May 2025.”
“After careful deliberation, Shikhar Dhawan and his team have adopted this stance in light of the present geopolitical climate and the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. On this issue, we humbly ask for the league’s cooperation and understanding. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you need any more information or clarification,” it said.
Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota.
Jai Hind! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/gLCwEXcrnR
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) July 19, 2025
Twenty-six civilians were killed in the demented terror assault in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. The Resistance Front, which is thought to be connected to Lashkar-e-Taiba, was the first to claim responsibility for the attack.
The WCL 2025 match between India and Pakistan was anticipated to be the two countries’ first cricket match following Operation Sindoor. According to rumours, in addition to Dhawan, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, and Suresh Raina have all withdrawn. Online criticism has been directed at the Indian players for participating in a tournament that also features Pakistan. It’s unclear, though, if their stated choices to forgo the game followed the social media outcry.
According to recent sources, the game may be postponed completely. In the curtain-raiser, Pakistan defeated England by a margin of five runs. In the meantime, India has not yet started its six-team tournament campaign.
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