WCL 2025, India withdraw from semi-final against Pakistan: Report
What's the story
India Champions, the team featuring cricketing stalwarts like Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, and Irfan Pathan, has opted out of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) semi-final against Pakistan, according to a report by NDTV. The decision is in line with their earlier stand when they had boycotted a group stage match against the same rival. The Indian team made it to the semi-finals after beating West Indies in just 13.2 overs in their last group match.
Schedule impact
Decision in line with India's Asia Cup boycott
The decision to withdraw from the WCL semi-final aligns with ongoing diplomatic tensions and public sentiment, following the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announcement of the 2025 Asia Cup schedule. India are set to face Pakistan on September 14, with a possibility of two more encounters in the tournament. The diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan soured after a terror attack in Pahalgam in April this year.
Support for withdrawal
EaseMyTrip withdraws sponsorship for India-Pakistan match
EaseMyTrip, one of WCL's main sponsors, also withdrew from the India-Pakistan WCL semi-final, reaffirming its long-standing policy against participating in any match involving Pakistan. Nishant Pitti, the co-founder of EaseMyTrip, said in a statement on Wednesday, "We applaud Team India @India_Champions for their outstanding performance in the World Championship of Legends, you've made the nation proud. However, the upcoming semi-final against Pakistan is not just another game. Terror and cricket cannot go hand in hand."
Match
Team India pulled out of group stage clash
As mentioned, Team India withdrew from the group stage clash against Pakistan in the ongoing tournament. The withdrawal was reportedly due to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and the following Operation Sindoor. Besides boycotting the Pakistan game, India have suffered successive defeats to South Africa, Australia, and England in the tournament. They reached the semi-final after chasing down 145 in 13.3 overs. Stuart Binny slammed a 21-ball 50*.