Following the withdrawal of numerous Indian players from the match against Pakistan in the second edition of the World Championship of Legends, former all-rounder Shahid Afridi made a furious attack on Monday, forcing the organizers to call off Sunday's game in Birmingham, England.

Following a wave of public outrage in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan, and Yusuf Pathan were reportedly among the first to withdraw from the game against Pakistan.

Veteran Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan made it official on his social media account, noting that he had chosen not to participate in the match due to the present "geopolitical" climate between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam affair, even if there was no formal announcement about these players.

The game was canceled as a result of the circumstances, and the organizers expressed regret for "unintentionally causing discomfort" to Indian legends.

Afridi emphasized the importance of keeping sports and politics separate in his remarks to the press. "I've always maintained that cricket should be kept out of politics and move forward," he stated. "We are here to play cricket." A player should represent their nation well rather than being an embarrassment.

The former Pakistani captain also blasted India for their last-minute choice, noting that their players even participated in a practice session prior to their competition opener against Pakistan Champions.

"We have come here to play cricket. If [India] did not want to play against Pakistan, they should have declined before arriving here. However, he continued, "you've come, held practice sessions, and then all of a sudden changed everything in one day."

With no changes ahead, the WCL will proceed as scheduled, according to Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan. Additionally, he predicted that if the two clubs are scheduled to play each other in the knockout stage, WCL will probably intervene.

"The rest of the games are being played. The tournament is proceeding as planned, and there have been no modifications. We are now stating that there will be four teams in the semifinals and final, and that we will avoid games between the two teams if we make it to the semifinals.

"The choices about that will be made at that time if we reach the final. And as for this game, we will receive the two points, which we are entitled to according to the regulations.

At the same time, Afridi considered the spirit of cricket and advocated for bringing the two neighboring nations together through sports.

"Sports bring people closer together, but how can we go ahead if politics gets involved in every aspect of our lives?" Nothing will get better until we sit down and talk about the problems; a lack of communication will only make matters worse, he said. "We've come here to play cricket, engage in one-on-one interactions, and have friendly conversations. However, one rotten apple occasionally ruins the whole bunch for everyone else.

The fact that Afridi's presence may have been the main cause for Indian players withdrawing from the game was not even mentioned in many media pieces. Shortly after the Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, was blamed for the Pahalgam attack, the 48-year-old made a contentious anti-India statement that drew widespread outrage.

Afridi stated that if he had known, he would have stayed away from the location entirely.

I wouldn't have even gone to the ground if I had known the game was being stopped because of me. But cricket should continue. In front of cricket, Shahid Afridi is nothing, he claimed.

First and foremost, the game. Cricket is the most popular sport in the world. If an Indian cricketer states that he won't play against Pakistan, then don't play, just sit out. Alternatively, don't introduce politics into it. However, cricket and sports are larger, and they are also larger than Shahid Afridi," he said in conclusion.

Read Also: Pitch War Erupts: Pakistan, Bangladesh Clash Over Subpar Dhaka Surface in 1st T20I
Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!