Former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan became a topic of discussion when the organizers of the World T20 Continent Cup unveiled the Asia Warriors team with him as captain for their upcoming tournament.
The Asia Warriors featured several Indian players apart from Dhawan, like Rahul Sharma, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, and Abhimanyu Mithun. However, the controversial point was that the same squad featured several Pakistani players as well, like Sohaib Maqsood, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, and Usman Qadir.
Many fans were shocked to learn that Dhawan was allegedly included in a team with Pakistani players. During Operation Sindoor in 2025, the left-handed batter took a firm stand against Pakistan and was especially outspoken during the heightened tensions that followed the terror attack in Pahalgam.
This led to Shikhar Dhawan publicly condemning the use of his name and image without consent. Dhawan slammed the organizers and urged fans not to be misled by or circulate any false reports regarding his participation. Dhawan has disassociated himself from the competition and emphatically denied any affiliation with it.
Taking to X, Dhawan wrote, "I have come across my name as a participant in the World T20 Continent Cup. My name has been used by the organizers 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 to not report or rely on any unauthorized announcements. Thank you for your continued love and support."
