WCL 2025: Players from the India Champions team have chosen not to play against Pakistan in the semi-final of the World Championship of Legends, set to take place on Saturday in Birmingham. Their decision is in line with India’s firm stance on avoiding sporting ties with Pakistan, especially after the recent tragic terror attack in Pahalgam.
India Champions Refuse To Play Pakistan In WCL 2025 Semi-Final
As reported by PTI, players like Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and Suresh Raina have already said they don’t want to play the knockout match against Pakistan. Earlier in the tournament, the team had taken a similar stand by refusing to play Pakistan in the league stage. The organisers later cancelled that match and apologised to the Indian players for “unintentionally causing discomfort.”
India was scheduled to play Pakistan in the semi-final on Thursday at Edgbaston Cricket Ground. Pakistan, led by Mohammad Hafeez, made it to the knockouts after topping the group with four wins out of five. India, who had lost their earlier matches, managed to grab the fourth spot with a dominant win over the West Indies Champions on Tuesday, chasing down the target in just 13.2 overs.
EaseMyTrip Pulls Out of India vs Pakistan Match in National Interest
In addition to the players’ stand, one of the tournament’s major sponsors, EaseMyTrip, also stepped away from the India-Pakistan semi-final. The company shared its decision publicly, calling it a move taken in the national interest. Co-founder Nishant Pitti posted on social media:
“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,” Pitti wrote on his ‘X’ handle.
“@EaseMyTrip, we stand with India. We cannot support any event that attempts to normalise relations with a country that promotes terrorism. The people of India have spoken and we hear them. EaseMyTrip will not be associated with the India vs Pakistan match in WCL.”
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