Indian Team Foregoes an Attempt at the WCL Trophy in Honor of Countrymen's Sentiments

July 31, 2025: The World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 semi-final between India and Pakistan was cancelled on Wednesday. The Indian team had already refused to play against Pakistan in the league matches and the same continued even as they were to go head to head for the Semis. The semi final match between India and Pakistan was scheduled for Thursday, July 31, at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham.

With the match cancelled, Pakistan has reached the final. This is Pakistan's second WCL final in a row. In the first edition last year, Pakistan lost to India in the final and finished as runners-up.

WCL Confirms Match Cancellation

The World Championship of Legends (WCL) issued a statement confirming the cancellation of the semi-final match between India and Pakistan. The organizers said they respect India’s decision to withdraw and also accepted Pakistan’s willingness to play. In the official statement, WCL said that due to India’s withdrawal, the Pakistan Champions team has reached the final. The statement said, “At WCL, we have always believed in the power of sports to inspire the world and bring positive change. However, the feelings of the fans must be respected, because everything we do is for our audience.” It further added, “We respect the decision of the Indian Champions to withdraw from the semi-final, and we also respect the Pakistani Champions' readiness to play. Considering all factors, the match has been cancelled. As a result, the Pakistan Champions are through to the final.”

Indian Players Boycotted the Match

On Wednesday evening, PTI reported that Indian players like Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, and others refused to play the knockout match against Pakistan.