‘Public ke saamne yeh dikhate ho...’: Former Pakistan cricketer exposes Indian players’ double standard after WCL boycott

Former Pakistan pacer Abdur Rauf Khan has slammed Indian players for what he believes are double standards after the India Champions vs Pakistan Champions match was cancelled in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) in Birmingham on Sunday.

The much-anticipated clash was scrapped following social media outrage and Indian players pulling out of the contest due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan after the recent Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. But Rauf criticised the behaviour of some Indian players, including Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Shikhar Dhawan.

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Rauf slams Indian players

These players initially had no problems playing Pakistan in the WCL 2025, but as soon as a section of the public started criticising them, their stance changed. As a result, the organisers had to cancel the Indo-Pak clash.

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“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 Shahid Afridi and Yuvraj Singh together and go shopping - that’s unfair],” Abdur Rauf Khan was quoted as saying in the Times of India.

“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? 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.

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“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.

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Rauf urges ICC to intervene

India-Pakistan ties have been strained since the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir in April. After the attack was confirmed to have come from Pakistani soil, India launched an operation to target terror camps inside Pakistan. Since then, there have been calls to boycott Pakistan across all sectors, including sports.

Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan was the first to publicly announce that he would not play against Pakistan Champions in the WCL, citing the current situation. The sponsors also pulled out due to pressure from the public and the match had to be called off.

“My consistent view has been to 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,” Rauf 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.