The India Champions team has withdrawn from the semi-final of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 against Pakistan, citing national sentiment following the Pahalgam terror attack in April.
The match, scheduled to take place at Edgbaston, Birmingham, was subsequently called off by tournament organisers, allowing Pakistan to progress to the final by default.
This is the second such withdrawal by the Indian side in the tournament, having earlier refused to face Pakistan in a group-stage fixture on 20 July. The tournament, which features retired cricket legends and is sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), has seen sporting tensions mirror political ones, as both countries continue to avoid bilateral cricketing ties.
An unnamed member of the India Champions team told The Times of India:
“We are not playing against Pakistan. Our country and nation will always be our top priority. We are proud to have earned the Indian jersey and will never let our country down Bharat Mata ki jai.”
The insider also clarified that the players would have made the same decision had they met Pakistan in the final, stating, “Even if we had entered the final and faced Pakistan, we all would have done the same. We are all on the same page.”
Tournament organisers announced the decision on Wednesday via Instagram, confirming the semi-final cancellation and issuing a full refund to ticket holders. Pakistan qualified for the final on the back of topping the league table with four wins and nine points.
Sporting relations between India and Pakistan have remained strained since the Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April, followed by a military response from India under ‘Operation Sindoor’. These tensions have trickled into the cricket field, despite the nations being scheduled to face each other in the Asia Cup on 14 September in the UAE, and again in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup on 6 October in Colombo.
