WCL 2025: Why India vs Pakistan Legends Match Was Called? Organisers REVEAL Reason

The India vs Pakistan WCL match was cancelled after public backlash over the Pahalgam terror attack. Though initially linked to player withdrawals, reports say organisers scrapped it as Pakistan refused to share points after India pulled out.

The World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 match between India and Pakistan Champions was called off after severe backlash and criticism amid the Indian public over the organisation of the clash in the aftermath of the Pahalgam Terror Attack, killing 28 tourists, including 26 Indian nationals.

The match between India and Pakistan was scheduled to take place on July 20 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. However, ahead of the much-anticipated clash, several former Indian cricketers reportedly opted out of the contest, including skipper Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Pathan brothers -Irfan and Yusuf, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh and others. Dhawan already wrote a letter to the organisers of the tournament about his decision not to participate in the clash against Pakistan.

The withdrawal of the Indian cricketers from the Pakistan match came after the Indian public criticised India Champions for agreeing to play arch-rivals after the horrendous Pahalgam Terror Attack.

This coincided with growing calls to boycott all sporting engagements with Pakistan after the attack in Baisaran Meadows, located seven kilometres from Pahalgam town in Jammu and Kashmir.

Twist behind cancellation of India vs Pakistan match

Though the reports suggested that Indian cricketers withdrew from the WCL match against Pakistan due to public sentiment following the Pahalgam terror attack. However, there is a new twist behind the cancellation of the much-anticipated clash at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

According to an ANI report, sources close to WCL stated that the organisers conveyed to England and Wales Cricket Board about their inability to conduct the match, adding that India is not at fault behind the cancellation. The sources further revealed that Pakistan was unwilling to share the points as India who backed out of the contest.

“WCL have conveyed to England and Wales Cricket Board that they, as organisers, were not able to conduct this match,” WCL sources said.

“The India Champions team are not at fault. Pakistan Champions team are not willing to share points because they are saying that it is India who backed out, not them," sources added.

Soon after former Indian cricketers decided to withdraw from the clash against Pakistan, the organizers of the World Championship of Legends issued an official statement, confirming the cancellation of the match and for ‘hurting the sentiments’ of Indian cricket fans, acknowledging the emotional weight of the situation.

India vs Pakistan semifinal unlikely to happen

Indian Champions and Pakistan Champions will play their remaining fixtures in the league stage of the World Championship of Legends, but there is uncertainty whether two arch-rivals will lock horns in the semifinals if they both qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament.

Since Yuvraj Singh-led Indian Champions withdrew from the league stage clash against Pakistan, the tournament organisers may likely reshuffle the knockout fixtures to avoid a potential semifinal clash between the two sides. The owner of Pakistan Champions, Kamil Khan, confirmed that the two sides will not face in the semifinal.

“All matches apart from the cancelled one are being played as planned. The tournament is proceeding on schedule,” Karim Khan told Geo News.

“As far as the semi-finals go, if both teams make it, we will ensure they do not face each other at that stage,” he added.

India to begin WCL title defence against South Africa

India are the defending champions of World Championship of Legends after having won the title in the inaugural edition of the tournament last year, defeating Pakistan in the final at Edgbaston.

Since the clash against Pakistan was cancelled after several former Indian cricketers opted out of the contest, India will begin their title defence against South Africa Champions, led by AB de Villiers at County Cricket Ground in Northampton on Tuesday, July 22.