The highly anticipated match between India Champions and Pakistan Champions in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 has been cancelled after several Indian players withdrew from the fixture. The match was scheduled for Sunday, July 20, at Edgbaston, Birmingham. The cancellation stems from the refusal of several Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, to play against Pakistan, citing recent "geopolitical tensions" between the two nations.
The WCL organizers announced the decision, expressing regret for "hurting sentiments" and causing discomfort to the Indian players. They stated that the match was initially planned to foster goodwill, inspired by a recent volleyball encounter between the two countries. However, the prevailing tensions led to the decision to call off the game.
According to reports, veteran Indian stars such as Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan were among the first to withdraw from participating in the match against Pakistan, following public backlash related to the Pahalgam terror attack. Shikhar Dhawan officially announced his decision on social media, stating that he would not participate in any matches against Pakistan in the WCL League, referencing the "current geopolitical situation".
Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan confirmed that the tournament would continue as planned, with no changes to the schedule. He also stated that his team would be awarded two points for the cancelled match against India. "As for this match, the two points will be awarded to us, and we deserve those points as per the rules," he said. Khan also addressed the possibility of an India-Pakistan semi-final, saying that the WCL would likely step in to avoid such a match. "As for the semifinals and final, we're currently saying that if we make it to the semifinals, there will be four teams, and we will avoid matches between the two teams," he stated.
Shahid Afridi, former Pakistan captain, criticized India's decision, pointing out that the Indian players had even held a practice session before the cancellation. He emphasized the need to keep sports separate from politics. "Sports bring people closer, but if politics gets involved in everything, how will we move forward?" Afridi said.
With the match cancelled, Pakistan now leads the WCL 2025 points table with three points from two games, having won their opening match against England. India, on the other hand, is fourth with one point from one game. India is slated to play their second match on Tuesday against South Africa Champions in Northampton, while Pakistan Champions will play their next fixture on July 25 in Leicester. The final of the T20 competition is set to be played on August 2, 2025.
