'Don’t Play, Don’t Sit Together': Shahid Afridi Chooses To Shield Pakistan With Talks On Diplomacy After India Champions Pull Out Of IND vs PAK

World Championship of Legends: After India Champions pulled out their team from the semi-final match of the World Championship of Legends 2025 against Pakistan Champions, Shahid Afridi lashed out at the Yuvraj Singh-led side.

India and Pakistan were set to clash against each other in the World Championship of Legends semi-final fixture. However, due to the hostile relations between the two nations, the India Champions have decided to withdraw from the game.

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Pakistan Champions Make It To Final After India Champions Walked Off In Semi-Final Fixture

Earlier on July 30th, World Championship of Legends released an official statement confirming that the match had been called off and Pakistan Champions advanced to the final.

"Taking all factors into consideration, the match between the India Champions and the Pakistan Champions has been called off. As a result, Pakistan Champions will advance to the final," WCL stated in their official statement.

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Shahid Afridi Reflects On India Champions' Walk Off Against Pakistan Champions In WCL 2025 Semi-Final

Earlier, while speaking to a Pakistani journalist, Shahid Afridi shielded Pakistan with talks on diplomacy, saying that tensions between the two nations were there earlier as well, but the matches kept happening.  

“I am Pakistan, and Pakistan is me. It’s my country. I have always said there’s no better diplomacy between India and England in cricket. If you see tensions were there in the past too, but matches kept happening, the leaders sat together, watched matches together. You remember Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s time. If you don’t play, don’t sit together, the distances will increase," Afridi said as quoted by News18.

He added that many people came to match the high-voltage fixture from a long distance, but they were disappointed since it was called off.

“It’s very disappointing. 17,000 people were supposed to come from quite far places. Everyone is disappointed...," he added.

India and Pakistan's relationship hit an all-time low after the Pahalgam Terror Attack, which took place on April 22nd. The barbaric terror attack was carried out by the Pakistan-sponsored terror group The Resistance Front, which claimed 26 innocent civilians.