India Champions were slated to play Pakistan Champions in the semi-final of World Championship of Legends 2025. Notably,
According to sources, India Champions have decided not to play in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 semifinal against Pakistan. This follows their previous stance when they boycotted the group stage match against Pakistan. The India Champions squad includes players like Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, and Piyush Chawla. They secured their place in the semifinals after defeating the West Indies Champions in just 13.2 overs during their last group match on Tuesday.
The decision comes amid the backlash faced by the BCCI after the Asia Cup schedule was announced, where India is set to face Pakistan on September 14. There is a possibility the two teams could meet again on September 21 and 28 if they progress further. Relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, with reports even suggesting the Asia Cup might be canceled. However, the tournament continued as planned.
Earlier in the tournament, the league stage match between India Champions and Pakistan Champions was officially canceled following strong objections from Indian players and a key tournament sponsor. Former Indian cricketers like Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan publicly declared they would not participate in that match.
EaseMyTrip, one of the main sponsors of the WCL, withdrew its support for the India-Pakistan semifinal, reaffirming its policy of non-participation in matches involving Pakistan. Nishant Pitti, co-founder of EaseMyTrip, said in a statement, “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. @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. Some things are bigger than sport. Nation first business later, Always.”
India Champions have had a challenging tournament, starting with a heavy 88-run loss to South Africa Champions (via DRS), followed by consecutive defeats against Australia (by 4 wickets) and England (by 23 runs). Their only point before the West Indies match came from the abandoned game against Pakistan.