Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has accused the organisers of the World T20 Continent Cup of using his name without his knowledge or permission. The former Indian opener issued a statement on social media on Tuesday and made it clear that he is not participating in the upcoming tournament. Dhawan also said that his team will take appropriate legal action against the organisers.
Dhawan took to his social media account and said, "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."
The former India opener also urged his fans and the media not to believe any announcements about his participation unless they come from authorised sources.
"I request the media and my fans to not report or rely on any unauthorised announcements. Thank you for your continued love and support," Dhawan added.
The World T20 Continent Cup is scheduled to take place in Hong Kong in December 2026. According to its official website, the competition is organised by Atherra Sports Pvt. Ltd. and will feature retired international cricketers from different parts of the world.
The tournament is planned to feature four teams representing Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. The teams are named Asia Warriors, Africa Lions, Europe Champions and North America Eagles. Organisers have advertised nine T20 matches featuring more than 60 former international cricketers.
The organisers had also published an announcement about the Asia Warriors squad in August 2026. However, Dhawan has now denied giving permission for his name to be used in connection with the competition.
Dhawan retired from international and domestic cricket in August 2024. The left-handed batter represented India in 34 Tests, 167 ODIs and 68 T20Is. He was also part of India's title-winning campaign in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
