A major controversy has erupted ahead of the World Championship of Legends 2025, as the first semi-final match between India and Pakistan, scheduled for Thursday, has been thrown into turmoil. Indian players have refused to take the field against Pakistan.
IND vs PAK WCL 2025: The semi-final match between India and Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends 2025 was scheduled to take place on July 31st. However, the Indian Champions team has explicitly refused to participate in this match. This decision by the Indian team has drawn the attention of the global cricket fraternity and is being directly linked to the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack.
India Refuses to Play Pakistan for the Second Time
This is not the first time the Indian team has refused to play Pakistan in WCL 2025. During the league stage, India also boycotted the match against Pakistan. Now, when the two teams were scheduled to face each other in the semi-finals, India has once again taken a clear stance by refusing to take the field against Pakistan.
The Indian team includes former legendary players like Yuvraj Singh (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, and Irfan Pathan. Although there has been no official statement from any member of the team regarding this decision, the reason behind it is clearly stated to be a commitment to national interest and national security.
India's Strict Stance After Pahalgam Terrorist Attack
In the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack, several soldiers were martyred, for which Pakistan-backed terrorists were held responsible. After this attack, India took b action against terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and POK under 'Operation Sindoor'. Following continuous provocative actions and support for terrorist networks from Islamabad, India has not only distanced itself from Pakistan on the diplomatic front but has also refused any kind of relationship on sports and cultural levels.
Following the Indian team's decision, Nishant Pitti, the founder and chairman of the major sponsor EaseMyTrip, also issued a statement in support. He said on Twitter: "We commend Team India for their outstanding performance. This is not just another match against Pakistan. Terrorism and cricket cannot go together. We cannot support any event that tries to normalize relations with a country that promotes terrorism."
South Africa and Australia to Clash in Second Semi-Final
After the Indian team's boycott, the tournament organizers may have to make difficult decisions. However, the second semi-final will be played on schedule on July 31st, in which AB de Villiers-led South Africa Champions will face Brett Lee's captained Australia Champions team. It will be interesting to see how the tournament organizers decide on the structure of the final in India's absence.
