TV
India Champions officially withdrew from the scheduled semifinal clash of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 against Pakistan at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham.
The decision was taken in protest against the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack and in line with India’s long-standing stance against bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan.
As per the team sources, the players chose to withdraw from the semifinal in order to prioritise national sentiment over sporting obligations.
"We are not playing against Pakistan in semis. Our country and nation will always be at the top for us, and then anything. We are proud members of the Indian team. We have struggled and worked hard to put the Indian flag on our shirts, and we earned it. We will never let our country down, no matter what," said a source from the team.
The source further revealed that the players would have stood by their decision even if they were to face Pakistan in the final.
"Even if we had entered the final and faced Pakistan, we all would have done the same. We all Indians are on the same page," the source revealed.
Notably, WCL organisers respected the decision made by the players of the India Champions side and called off the game. Hence, Pakistan qualified for the final.
