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The former Indian cricket team opener and explosive batsman shared a screenshot of an email in which he confirmed his refusal to play against arch-rival Pakistan in the upcoming WCL 2025 match, scheduled to take place at Edgbaston in Birmingham, England. Shikhar Dhawan was slated to debut in the tournament as Yuvraj Singh's side begins its title defence.

Dhawan posted this update on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), reiterating his decision—first taken on May 11, 2025—following the Pahalgam terror attack.

“Desh Mere Liye Sab Kuch Hai”

Shikhar shared the screenshot of the email along with a caption that read:

“Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota.

Jai Hind!” with an emoji of the Indian flag. 

The official email shared on X stated:

"Dear Team,
I trust this email finds you well. This is to formally reiterate and confirm that Mr. Shikhar Dhawan will not be participating in any matches against the Pakistan team in the upcoming WCL League. This decision was communicated earlier during our discussion via call and WhatsApp dated 11th May 2025.”

Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota.

Jai Hind! 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/gLCwEXcrnR

— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) July 19, 2025

It further added:

“In view of the current geopolitical situation and the prevailing tensions between India and Pakistan, Mr. Dhawan and his team have taken this position after due consideration. We respectfully request the league’s understanding and cooperation on this matter.

Should you require any further information or clarification, please do not hesitate to reach out.”

This was set to be the first official or unofficial cricket event featuring India vs. Pakistan in recent years, but several players have opted out of playing against the rival country. According to sources, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, and a few others have also boycotted the match against Pakistan in the WCL 2025.