Shahid Afridi introduced former Prime Ministers Parvez Musharraf and Atal Bihari Vajpayee in describing the Indo-Pak relationship after the India Champions withdrew in opposition to Pakistan Champions twice within the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL). The Yuvraj Singh-led aspect first pulled out in opposition to the arch-rivals within the league stage earlier than doing the identical within the WCL 2025 semifinals, serving to the Males in Inexperienced’s easy entry in to the summit conflict.
The Indian players’ withdrawal against Pakistan Champions in WCL 2025 got here after their choice to place the nation first and extreme social media backlash within the mild of Pahalgam attack that killed 26 harmless lives on April 22. Shikhar Dhawan was one of many Indians gamers to publicly withdraw from the sport.
In a viral video, Afridi reiterated the message of message of diplomacy whereas describing the India-Pakistan relations. “I’ve at all times mentioned there is no such thing as a higher diplomacy than sports activities diplomacy,” Afridi continued.
“Our relationship (India-Pakistan) had not been good up to now however matches did not cease, in the event you keep in mind time of (Parvez) Musharraf and (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee. When you do not sit, do not play collectively it creates a distance,” added Afridi.
“Cricket ought to occur, we must always maintain politics apart. If politics is part of the whole lot, then we will not go forward,” Afridi said. The India-Pakistan political variations have been an previous story for many years. Afridi’s Vajpayee reference got here from India’s Pakistan tour in 2004.
It was Vajpayee’s peace initiative in 2003 that led the Indian cricket group to tour their neighbours after a spot of just about 15 years.
Cricket is greater than me: Shahid Afridi
Whereas it was believed that India withdrew in opposition to Pakistan within the mild of Pahalgam attack, one other notion got here out that Yuvraj’s boys refused to play in opposition to Afridi particularly. Reacting to this, Afridi urged the Indians to to not be an “embarrassment” for personal nation.
“I had additionally instructed them, if you don’t need me, I will not come to the bottom however cricket mustn’t cease. The sport of cricket is greater than something, greater than me. It’s best to attempt to develop into a superb ambassador to your personal nation and never a humiliation to your nation. A number of gamers did not need to play and that is why the entire challenge came about,” he added.
