A picture of Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn with former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi has gone viral on social media, sparking controversy amidst the cancellation of the India vs. Pakistan match in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) in Birmingham. The image led to a wave of backlash from fans, who criticized Ajay for meeting and posing with Afridi, given the latter's past comments regarding India during border tensions.
The WCL match between India and Pakistan, scheduled for Sunday, was called off when several former Indian cricketers, including Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, and Shikhar Dhawan, refused to participate due to political tensions between the two nations. The organisers confirmed the match's cancellation via a statement on social media, clarifying that their intention was to recreate "happy memories" and promote friendly sportsmanship.
The image of Ajay Devgn and Shahid Afridi, which had previously circulated from the 2024 WCL, was mistakenly believed to have been taken during the current edition of the tournament. Ajay, who is a co-owner of the WCL, was actually attending the 2024 final match between the India Champions and Pakistan Champions at Edgbaston, Birmingham, where India emerged victorious.
While the timing of the image sparked confusion, the photo was from the 2024 edition of the WCL when Ajay Devgn had come to witness the final match, and not from the ongoing tournament. The viral post falsely linked the photo to the present controversy surrounding the cancelled match. The actor's photo with Afridi from a previous event quickly turned into a flashpoint for social media debates and criticism.
Future of the WCL Tournament
Despite the India-Pakistan match cancellation, the tournament will continue as scheduled. WCL organisers have confirmed that if both teams qualify for the semi-finals, there may be a rematch. Kamil Khan, the owner of the Pakistan Champions, stated that the league will proceed without changes, with no intention of altering the fixture.
This situation has added a layer of tension to an already emotionally charged tournament, where both Indian and Pakistani teams will continue their journey, possibly facing each other again in the knockout stages. While the photo of Ajay Devgn and Shahid Afridi fueled a viral controversy, the truth behind it is that the image is from last year's WCL final, unrelated to the current political context surrounding the India-Pakistan match cancellation.
