India refuses to play Pakistan in WCL semifinal; sponsor also pulls out
PTC Web Desk: The much-anticipated semifinal clash between India and Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends (WCL), scheduled for July 31 in Birmingham, has been officially cancelled. According to reports, the Indian players have once again declined to play against Pakistan, citing political and security concerns.
This marks the second time in the tournament that Indian players have refused to face Pakistan. On July 20, they had earlier withdrawn from a group-stage match, which was subsequently cancelled. WCL organisers later issued an apology to Indian fans for the inconvenience.
In a significant development earlier today, the league’s sponsor company EaseMyTrip also announced its withdrawal from the semifinal match. In a statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), EaseMyTrip co-founder Nishant Pitti said, "Terrorism and cricket cannot go hand in hand. We stand with India. We cannot support any event that tries to normalise relations with a country that promotes terrorism. Some things are bigger than sports — the nation comes first, business second."
Despite having a five-year sponsorship agreement with WCL, EaseMyTrip reaffirmed its stance against promoting or associating with any cricket match involving Pakistan. The company clarified that its support lies with the Indian Legends team and not with any fixture involving Pakistan.
Team India Squad for WCL 2025
Yuvraj Singh (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Robin Uthappa (Wicketkeeper), Ambati Rayudu, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Stuart Binny, Vinay Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Siddarth Kaul, Abhimanyu Mithun, and Varun Aaron.
- With inputs from agencies
