Dhawan relishing prospect of facing Pakistan’s Wahab and Afridi at GCL

Former Indian and Pakistan cricket stars are bracing to lock horns in a high-octane match at the Global Celebrity League, which will be held in Doha from  May 27 to June 4, 2025.

The tournament has been designed in a way, which will bring cricketers and showbiz stars together.

A total of five teams -- Indian Thunders, Pakistan Fireox, Afghan Warriors, Bengal Tigers, and Qatar Global - will battle it out for the top honours, providing an unparalleled entertainment.

Each team will consist of seven cricketers and five players from the showbiz industry.

Former Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan, who will be a star attraction, said he is already relishing the prospect of playing with his former team-mates like Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan and against Pakistan’s erstwhile stars like Shahid Afridi and Wahab Riaz.

"I am already very excited to be back on the field and looking forward to meeting my former team-mates. I am relishing the chance of playing against Shahid and Wahab,” said who brought down curtains on his IPL career in 2024.

"We have played a lot of cricket. We have been very good friends off the field and this tournament will give us a chance to reunite again.

"But, I promise there will be no slip ups while playing. It is going to be fun-filled but a serious tournament. We will try to give our best to entertain the fans,” said Dhawan, who was speaking during the launch of the event in Dubai.

Indian Thunders will feature prominent Bollywood stars like Khan siblings - Arbaaz and Sohail apart from Ritesh Dekshmukh and Sunil Shetty, who will sprinkle the stardust.

To add glamour and glitz to the tourney, Bollywood divas like Neha Sharma and Genelia d'souza will also be the part of the tournament.

Earlier, Indian stars took center stage at the high-voltage Global Celebrity League (GCL) launch. The event kicked off with a heartfelt tribute to GCL’s late founder, Sheikh Saud Abdullah Al Thani, celebrating his legacy with a moment of silence.

GCL President Arif Malik officially announced the league schedule, confirming that the much-anticipated matches will take place from May 27.

The event’s centerpiece will be the opening match between India and Pakistan, setting the tone for an exhilarating cricketainment spectacle.

Cricketing icon Dhawan led the Indian delegation with unmatched style and pride while Pakistan Fireox was introduced by stars like Afridi and Wahab, it was the Indian Thunders team that truly captured hearts with their Bollywood charm and dynamic energy. Sumit Rajpal, team owner of Indian Thunders, was represented with honor and admiration.