BIRMINGHAM: India has once again refused to play against Pakistan—this time in the first semi-final of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025—after previously boycotting their league stage clash as well.
The Indian media reported that the Indian Champions informed the management of the WCL 2025 that it will not play its semi-final against Pakistan, after which the Green Shirts reached the Final. The final will be played on August 2.
Certain players of the India Champions team, led by former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, expressed unwillingness to play against Pakistan. They included Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, and Suresh Raina.
India’s refusal means Pakistan will advance directly to the final of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, where they will face the winner of tomorrow’s second semi-final between South Africa Champions and Australia Champions on August 2.
Earlier in the tournament, the league-stage match between India Champions and Pakistan Champions was cancelled after Indian players refused to play against a Pakistan side that included Shahid Afridi.
The highly anticipated clash between Pakistan and India was scheduled for tomorrow at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham.
Tournament organizers reinstated the fixture after India initially refused to play against Pakistan during the first phase. The decision has reignited fan excitement ahead of the high-stakes knockout contest.
India kept their qualification hopes alive by chasing a 145-run target set by the West Indies Champions in just 13.2 overs. They needed to complete the chase within 14.1 overs to qualify on net run rate. Stuart Binny led the charge with a brilliant half-century, while skipper Yuvraj Singh made vital contributions. India sealed victory by five wickets, becoming the fourth and final semi-finalist.
Earlier, Pakistan strengthened their title credentials by crushing the Australian champions by 10 wickets. The Men in Green topped the table with four wins from five matches and an impressive net run rate of +2.452, collecting nine points overall.
South Africa and Australia had already secured semi-final spots, finishing second and third, respectively. South Africa won four of their five games, while Australia scraped through with two victories from five matches.
India advanced to the final four by a slim margin. Despite winning only one of their four group-stage matches, they edged past England and West Indies on net run rate. Their initial refusal to face Pakistan caused scheduling disruptions and sparked controversy.
The confirmed semi-final lineup now pits top-ranked Pakistan against fourth-placed India, while South Africa will face Australia in the second semi-final. Both matches will be held on July 31 in Birmingham.
Cricket observers believe the political backdrop and previous cancellation add intensity and intrigue to the Pakistan-India showdown.
The ongoing WCL 2025 in England features retired international stars competing in a T20 format, drawing global attention from fans eager to relive cricket’s golden era.
