In a surprising turn of events, many players from the India Champions team have refused to play in the upcoming semi-final of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 against their arch-rivals, Pakistan Champions, according to Indian media reports published on Wednesday.
This decision has created major uncertainty around what was expected to be one of the most exciting matches of the tournament. India Champions are the defending champions of the WCL but have already shown signs of protest earlier in the competition. They had previously pulled out of a group-stage match against Pakistan Champions, citing political reasons.
Despite missing that match, India Champions still managed to qualify for the semi-finals in dramatic fashion. They secured a huge win over the West Indies Champions, which gave them a better net run rate than the England Champions and allowed them to grab the fourth spot on the points table. This victory was crucial in pushing them into the top four and setting up a semi-final clash against the table-toppers, Pakistan Champions, who had nine points from five matches.
However, after the semi-final pairing was confirmed, fresh trouble started. Reports suggest that some of India’s star players are not willing to take part in the knockout match against Pakistan. According to a recent report by an Indian news agency, at least five key players — including team captain Yuvraj Singh, opener Shikhar Dhawan, veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh, and all-rounders Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan — have shown their unwillingness to play.
Their decision is reportedly influenced by ongoing political tensions between India and Pakistan, as well as public sentiment within India. The players are said to believe that participating in the high-stakes game might lead to backlash at home.
This controversy follows an earlier incident where Shikhar Dhawan, one of India Champions’ main batsmen, clearly stated his personal decision not to play against Pakistan. After India narrowly lost to Australia in a recent match, Dhawan was asked during a press conference about whether he would be willing to play if India faced Pakistan in the semi-final.
Dhawan did not take the question well and responded with frustration, saying,
“You’re asking this question at the wrong time and place — you shouldn’t have asked it. And even if I didn’t play earlier, I still won’t play now.”
This statement, along with the current reports of more players opting out, has put the much-awaited semi-final in doubt. Fans around the world, especially in India and Pakistan, had been looking forward to this match due to the intense rivalry between the two nations in cricket. But now, it remains unclear whether India Champions will field a full team or even take part at all.
If the boycott continues, it could lead to major consequences for the team and the tournament. The WCL organizers have not yet made an official announcement regarding the situation, but they are expected to address the issue soon.
As the cricket world watches closely, the big question remains — will politics once again stop one of the sport’s most legendary rivalries from being played on the field?
READ MORE: WCL 2025: High-Stakes Pakistan vs India Semi-Final Set for July 31
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