Shikhar Dhawan lashed out at the organisers of the World T20 Continental Cup tournament after he was announced as the captain of the Asian side, which consisted of four players from Pakistan as well as three more Indians apart from him.
The former Indian opener claimed that the announcement was made without his consent and threatened to take legal action.
“I have come across my name as a participant in the World T20 Continent Cup. My name has been used by the organisers without my knowledge or permission, and my team will be taking the appropriate legal steps to address this.I request the media and my fans not to report or rely on any unauthorised announcements. Thank you for your continued love and support,” wrote Dhawan on X.
“We regret to announce that Shikhar Dhawan will not be part of the Asia Warriors squad for the upcoming World T20 Continent Cup due to scheduling conflicts and certain technical considerations.We thank Shikhar Dhawan for his association and support, and wish him continued success in his future endeavours,” a tournament organisers issued a statement after Dhawan’s post.
Later, they confirmed former Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne as the captain of the team.
The tournament’s first edition is set to take place in December and will feature five teams. Apart from Asia Warriors, there will be Europe Champions, African Lions, and North America Eagles also competing in the tournament. Hong Kong will host the week-long competition.
Since his retirement from international cricket and IPL in 2024, Dhawan has played various T20 tournaments around the globe, such as Legends League Cricket, the World Championship of Legends, and the Asia Legends League.
Dhawan played 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is for Indii between his debut in 2010 and final game in 2022. He also played the IPL from the first season in 2008 till the 2024 campaign.