COVENTRY: Former Australian pace legend Brett Lee has voiced his opinion following the cancellation of the high-voltage clash between arch-rivals India Champions and Pakistan Champions in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.
The fourth match of the tournament, scheduled to take place on Sunday at Edgbaston, was unexpectedly called off, sparking widespread reactions across the cricketing fraternity.
Speaking during a media conference, Lee emphasised the importance of unity and the spirit of the game, urging all involved to rise above politics.
“I love India, I love Pakistan. So I hope they can reach a resolution where they appreciate each other. But most importantly, we are here for a tournament,” Lee said.
“So it’s Australia versus India versus South Africa — we are all inclusive. What happened last night is unfortunate, but we move forward,” he added.
The WCL confirmed the cancellation of the marquee fixture through an official statement posted on its social media platforms.
According to reports from Indian media, the match was called off after senior Indian players — including Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Shikhar Dhawan — refused to participate if former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi was present in the squad or even entered the stadium premises.
Responding to the controversy, Afridi stressed the need to keep sports separate from politics.
“We are here to play cricket, and I’ve always said that cricket should be kept away from politics — it should move forward. A player should be a good ambassador, not a source of embarrassment for their country,” Afridi said.
He also criticised the Indian contingent for their last-minute change of stance.
“We’ve come here to play cricket. If [India] didn’t want to play against Pakistan, they should’ve said so before coming. But now you’ve arrived, even held practice sessions, and then suddenly change everything in a single day — that’s not right,” he added.
Afridi further clarified that if he had known he was the cause of the cancellation, he would have stayed away from the ground.
“If I had known the match was being stopped because of me, I wouldn’t have even gone to the ground. But cricket should go on. What is Shahid Afridi in front of cricket? Nothing,” he said.
“The game comes first. Cricket is bigger than politics, bigger than any individual — including me. If an Indian player doesn’t want to play, he can sit out, but don’t drag the game down.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan Champions, led by Mohammad Hafeez, got off to a winning start in the tournament by defeating England Champions by five runs in the opening fixture.
Defending a total of 161, Pakistan restricted England to 155-3 in their 20 overs, thanks to a disciplined final over by Sohail Khan, who conceded just 10 runs when 16 were needed.
Looking ahead, the Green Shirts will play their next fixture against South Africa Champions on July 25 at Grace Road, Leicester.
