 "‘India ke liye kuch bhi’: Legends refuse to play Pakistan in WCL semi-finals, say ‘would have done the same in final’")
The India Champions team has pulled out of the 2025 World Championship of Legends (WCL) semi-final against Pakistan. Earlier, the India Champions were also forced to boycott their group-stage game against Pakistan on July 20 after being criticised for not keeping national sentiments in mind following the Pahalgam attack and for participating in a tournament featuring Pakistan.
The India Champions, which include some former legends of the game such as Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, and Shikhar Dhawan, along with a major sponsor, succumbed to the pressure and decided to pull out of the match as a last-minute decision. Harbhajan and Pathan are serving Members of Parliament.
‘We will never let our country down’
The legends were put in the same situation when the semi-final arrived, and before it could become another controversy, they themselves decided to boycott . As a result, the organisers were forced to cancel the game and awarded Pakistan a place in the final via walkover.
Semi - Finals Update ! pic.twitter.com/lTmh3j0sSP
— World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) July 30, 2025
According to an insider who spoke to The Times of India, the India Champions have taken this stand for the country. The insider also added that the team would have taken the same decision even if they had reached the final and were scheduled to play against Pakistan.
“We are not playing against Pakistan (in semis). Our country and nation will always be at the top for us, and then anything. India ke liye kuch bhi. We are proud members of the Indian team. We have struggled and worked hard to put the Indian flag on our shirts, and we earned it. We will never let our country down, no matter what. Bharat Mata ki jai,” the insider was quoted as saying by TOI.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe WCL organisers released an official statement. “At WCL, we have always believed in the power of sport to inspire and bring about positive change in the world. However, public sentiment must always be respected – after all, everything we do is for our audience,” the organisers said in a statement.
“We respect the India Champions’ decision to withdraw from the semi-finals, and we equally respect the Pakistan Champions’ readiness to compete. Taking all factors into consideration, the match between the India Champions and the Pakistan Champions has been called off. As a result, Pakistan Champions will advance to the final,” the statement read.
Some have argued that the India Champions players should have considered the implications before agreeing to take part in the tournament. It seems their stance on playing against Pakistan shifted only after facing public backlash.
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