“Public ke saamne yeh dikhate ho ki hum nahi khelenge, aur saath mein ghumoge and shopping karoge, yeh unfair hai [You show the public that you won’t play each other, but behind the scenes you travel together and go shopping — that’s unfair],” former Pakistan pacer Abdur Rauf Khan said scathingly after the India Champions vs Pakistan Champions clash was cancelled in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) in Birmingham on Sunday.
The match was scrapped after social media furore and eventually players pulling out for the contest. Those on social media questioned the hypocrisy of the players for changing tune less than two months after cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor.
Rauf didn’t hold back in his criticism of Indian players like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, questioning their public stance versus their off-field camaraderie.
“They hang around together, eat together, party together — then when it comes to playing a match, why do they portray a different picture in front of the public?” Rauf asked.
“It’s not just Pakistani players — even Indian players feel it. We’ve played together, shared dressing rooms, eaten together, gone shopping on tours, stayed in each other’s hotel rooms — we’re friends off the field. To then portray such a hard divide to the public — like ‘we won’t play them’ — that creates unnecessary hype,” Rauf said.
“Behind the scenes, the reality is very different. The fans, who come with so much excitement and emotion, are left disappointed. It’s not a good look for cricket. We owe better to the game and its fans,” he added.
India-Pakistan sporting relations had hit a roadblock due to the fallout from the April attack in Pahalgam.
Shikhar Dhawan was the first to make his stance public. He posted a screenshot on X stating: “This is to formally reiterate that Mr Shikhar Dhawan will not be participating in any matches against the Pakistan team in the upcoming WCL League… In view of our current geopolitical situation and prevailing tensions between India and Pakistan, Mr Dhawan and his team have taken this position after due consideration…”
Rauf, who represented Pakistan in 3 Tests, 4 ODIs and 1 T20I, appealed for politics to be kept out of cricket.
“My consistent view has been — keep politics and cricket separate. A year or two of tension may halt cricket, but once relations normalize, matches resume anyway. So why stop in the first place?… So yes, both governments should sit down and sign an agreement that cricket and sports will continue regardless of external conditions. Political tensions may come and go, but sports should not suffer,” he said.
“You can’t permanently shut this down. Tensions might last for a year or two, but ultimately the countries reconnect. So why halt sports in the first place?… That’s why I believe there should be a clear framework or agreement ensuring continuity. Political issues will persist due to geographical realities — but let sports breathe. Let it flourish,” he added.
“The issues between India and Pakistan have been long-standing. Sometimes they escalate, sometimes relations improve. When relations are good, cricket resumes. When tensions rise, everything is shut down. Unfortunately, the fans are the ones who suffer the most… I believe there should be a formal agreement that regardless of political tensions, ICC-sanctioned events or bilateral tournaments should continue uninterrupted,” Rauf concluded. TOI
