Nation First; India Refuses to Play Cricket Match With Pakistan
India's withdrawal from the WCL semi-final against Pakistan due to national sentiments after a terror attack has sparked controversy and debate over mixing sports with politics.
The World Championship of Legends (WCL) is a special T20 cricket tournament that brings retired international players from top cricketing nations back on the field. Started by Harshit Tomar with Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn as his partner, the WCL is like a nostalgic version of the IPL, filled with excitement for fans who miss watching their cricketing heroes in action. The tournament is not run by the ICC but is approved by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and each team is owned privately.
In the second edition of WCL, held from 18th July to 2nd August 2025, a highly anticipated semi-final between India Champions and Pakistan Champions was scheduled for 20th July at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Fans were eager to watch this legendary clash. But things changed dramatically when Indian players, including Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, and Shikhar Dhawan, pulled out of the match just hours before the game. They cited the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, as the reason, saying it was not the right time to play against Pakistan, even in a friendly tournament.
Before the match, Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi had made some teasing remarks, suggesting that India would end up playing anyway. But after India’s withdrawal, Afridi expressed disappointment, saying politics should not affect cricket and players must act as ambassadors of peace. With no option left, WCL organizers canceled the semi-final and issued an apology. This move led to Pakistan Champions reaching the final without playing the semi-final.
The decision caused a major backlash, especially among Indian fans. One of the sponsors, EaseMyTrip, even pulled out of its support for the semi-final involving Pakistan, saying the match didn’t align with patriotic values. In the final match, AB de Villiers, despite being injured, played an extraordinary innings of 120* off 60 balls, helping South Africa Champions defeat Pakistan Champions to win the title.
Meanwhile, the incident caused more tension. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced that no private league would be allowed to use the word "Pakistan" in its team name without official permission. In India, the move by Indian players was praised by many media outlets and the public, who felt proud that the players stood up for the country.
The situation sparked comparisons with the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, where India and Pakistan are set to play on 14th September. Some questioned why India would refuse a legends game but still play official matches. Former captain Sourav Ganguly said that while terrorism must be condemned, sports should continue. Still, many fans and leaders feel India should not play Pakistan in any format while the nation is under threat.
However, since the Asia Cup is an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) event and India is the host, officials confirmed that the match will take place as planned. The whole episode has once again brought attention to the complex relationship between sports and politics in India-Pakistan ties.
