WCL organisers call off India-Pakistan legends match
Photo: X
A highly anticipated match between Pakistan and India in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) was cancelled on Sunday due to escalating tensions between the two countries, tournament organisers confirmed.
In a statement issued in Birmingham, the WCL management expressed regret over the cancellation of the fixture, which was scheduled to take place today. While no specific reason was cited, the organisers acknowledged the disappointment caused to fans and shared details of the decision in a post on social media platform X.
“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," the statement read.
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"But maybe in the process, we ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions," the organisers added, while also apologising for “unintentionally causing discomfort” to Indian cricket legends.
“Hence, we have decided to call off the India-Pakistan match. We sincerely apologise again for hurting sentiments and hope people will understand that all we ever wanted was to bring a few happy moments to the fans.”
Fans who purchased tickets for the match have been assured full refunds, the statement said.
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According to sources, tensions escalated after an alleged demand was made to exclude former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi from the playing XI. Indian players Shikhar Dhawan and Harbhajan Singh reportedly opposed playing the match, leading to further friction. Indian media outlets also questioned the necessity of staging the match under the current geopolitical climate, prompting organisers to call it off.
The second edition of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)-sanctioned tournament, began on July 18 at Edgbaston. The Pakistan team, captained by Shahid Afridi, features former stars including Younis Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, and Kamran Akmal. The side, led by Mohammad Hafeez in their opening match, had earlier defeated England.
India Champions are led by World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh and include notable names such as Dhawan, Harbhajan, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, and Varun Aaron.
The rest of the tournament will continue as per schedule. Each of the six participating teams will play each other once before the top four proceed to the semi-finals on July 31, with the final set for August 2. Matches will be played across Birmingham, Northampton, Leicester, and Leeds.
However, it remains unclear what the organisers will decide if India and Pakistan are to meet again in the knockout stages.
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Relations between the two countries remain strained. Following a terror attack in Pahalgam in April, tensions have flared, briefly affecting the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
India does not engage in bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan, with cricket encounters between the two sides now limited to ICC tournaments such as the World Cup and Champions Trophy.
A hybrid hosting model was introduced during this year’s Champions Trophy, where India played its matches in Dubai while the rest of the tournament was held in Pakistan. A similar model is in place for the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup, with Pakistan scheduled to play all its matches in Colombo, as India and Sri Lanka co-host the event.
Meanwhile, uncertainty surrounds the men's Asia Cup, tentatively scheduled for September in T20 format, as the venue for a potential India-Pakistan clash has yet to be confirmed.