The organisers of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) have cancelled the India-Pakistan cricket match and apologized for hurting public sentiment.
The fixture was dropped after Indian players and a key sponsor refused to participate, citing concerns over the current geopolitical scenario.
In an official statement, WCL said the India-Pakistan match was announced after a recent volleyball event between the two nations, aiming to “create happy memories” for fans.
"After hearing the news that the Pakistan hockey team will be coming to India this year, and seeing the recent India vs Pakistan volleyball match along with a few other fixtures between the two nations in different sports, we thought of continuing with the India vs Pakistan match at WCL, just to create some happy memories for people around the globe.
However, the organisers admitted that the move “may have ended up hurting the feelings of many and caused discomfort to the Indian legends.” WCL added that it “apologises for hurting sentiments” and confirmed the fixture had been called off.
The Pakistan team had named a squad including captain Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir and Kamran Akmal among other former internationals.
Multiple Indian players, including Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, had already informed the organisers they would not take part in the match. According to sources, others in the India lineup also opted out.
Dhawan, in a post on X, shared an email dated May 11 addressed to the organisers, where he cited the “current geo-political situation” as the reason behind his decision.
“Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota,” Dhawan wrote.
Other Indian players including Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan also conveyed their decision to boycott the match, though formal statements from them are awaited. Harbhajan and Yusuf currently serve as Members of Parliament.
Following the players’ withdrawal, EaseMyTrip, one of WCL’s sponsors, issued a statement reiterating its position. The company clarified that despite signing a five-year sponsorship agreement with WCL two years ago, it would not associate with any match involving Pakistan.
In a statement posted on X, the company said, “Despite entering into a 5-year sponsorship agreement with the World Championship of Legends (WCL) two years ago, our stance has always been clear—EaseMyTrip will not be associated with or participate in any WCL match involving Pakistan. We proudly continue to support the India Champions and stand firmly by our team. However, as a matter of principle, we do not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan. This position was communicated unambiguously to the WCL team from the beginning. EaseMyTrip supports Team India, but will not engage in any match featuring Pakistan. Let's bring the cup home. Bharat First. Always.”
India had won the inaugural WCL edition last year by defeating Pakistan in the final at Edgbaston. However, the political climate has changed considerably since then.
While India continues to avoid bilateral cricketing ties with Pakistan, the two countries do meet in global tournaments under the International Cricket Council (ICC). A hybrid hosting model is now being followed in such cases. For instance, India played its 2025 ICC Champions Trophy matches in Dubai while the main event was hosted in Pakistan. A similar model will be applied during the Women’s ODI World Cup later this year, with Pakistan scheduled to play all matches in Colombo.
Meanwhile, the men's Asia Cup, expected to take place in September in the T20 format, still lacks clarity. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has expressed its unwillingness to attend the Asian Cricket Council's venue discussions if the meeting is held in Dhaka.
The World Championship of Legends 2025 is scheduled to take place from July 18 to August 2 across Birmingham, Northampton, Leicester, and Leeds. The tournament, sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), features former international cricketers from multiple countries.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
The fixture was dropped after Indian players and a key sponsor refused to participate, citing concerns over the current geopolitical scenario.
In an official statement, WCL said the India-Pakistan match was announced after a recent volleyball event between the two nations, aiming to “create happy memories” for fans.
"After hearing the news that the Pakistan hockey team will be coming to India this year, and seeing the recent India vs Pakistan volleyball match along with a few other fixtures between the two nations in different sports, we thought of continuing with the India vs Pakistan match at WCL, just to create some happy memories for people around the globe.
However, the organisers admitted that the move “may have ended up hurting the feelings of many and caused discomfort to the Indian legends.” WCL added that it “apologises for hurting sentiments” and confirmed the fixture had been called off.
The Pakistan team had named a squad including captain Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir and Kamran Akmal among other former internationals.
Multiple Indian players, including Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, had already informed the organisers they would not take part in the match. According to sources, others in the India lineup also opted out.
Dhawan, in a post on X, shared an email dated May 11 addressed to the organisers, where he cited the “current geo-political situation” as the reason behind his decision.
“Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota,” Dhawan wrote.
Other Indian players including Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan also conveyed their decision to boycott the match, though formal statements from them are awaited. Harbhajan and Yusuf currently serve as Members of Parliament.
Following the players’ withdrawal, EaseMyTrip, one of WCL’s sponsors, issued a statement reiterating its position. The company clarified that despite signing a five-year sponsorship agreement with WCL two years ago, it would not associate with any match involving Pakistan.
In a statement posted on X, the company said, “Despite entering into a 5-year sponsorship agreement with the World Championship of Legends (WCL) two years ago, our stance has always been clear—EaseMyTrip will not be associated with or participate in any WCL match involving Pakistan. We proudly continue to support the India Champions and stand firmly by our team. However, as a matter of principle, we do not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan. This position was communicated unambiguously to the WCL team from the beginning. EaseMyTrip supports Team India, but will not engage in any match featuring Pakistan. Let's bring the cup home. Bharat First. Always.”
India had won the inaugural WCL edition last year by defeating Pakistan in the final at Edgbaston. However, the political climate has changed considerably since then.
While India continues to avoid bilateral cricketing ties with Pakistan, the two countries do meet in global tournaments under the International Cricket Council (ICC). A hybrid hosting model is now being followed in such cases. For instance, India played its 2025 ICC Champions Trophy matches in Dubai while the main event was hosted in Pakistan. A similar model will be applied during the Women’s ODI World Cup later this year, with Pakistan scheduled to play all matches in Colombo.
Meanwhile, the men's Asia Cup, expected to take place in September in the T20 format, still lacks clarity. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has expressed its unwillingness to attend the Asian Cricket Council's venue discussions if the meeting is held in Dhaka.
The World Championship of Legends 2025 is scheduled to take place from July 18 to August 2 across Birmingham, Northampton, Leicester, and Leeds. The tournament, sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), features former international cricketers from multiple countries.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)
