The World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 is once again staring at the same question it faced 10 days ago—will India play Pakistan? The two sides are scheduled to meet in the first semi-final on July 31 in Birmingham, but with what happened during the group stage clash, the fixture is far from certain.
Earlier in the group stage, India had refused to play against Pakistan, which resulted in a cancelled match and the awarding of one point each to both sides. That decision came at a time when cricketing ties between the two nations were frozen in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in April. However, since then, circumstances have changed.
Asia Cup 2025 clearance to change WCL too?
When India opted out of facing Pakistan in the group stages on July 20, there was still no confirmation on whether the two nations would even meet at the international level. Since then, the BCCI has received clearance from the government to face Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, scheduled for September. This means that India’s senior men’s team will officially play Pakistan in an international tournament barely six weeks from now.
That development has shifted the debate. If the national team is cleared to face Pakistan in the Asia Cup, can the Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions justify another boycott in the WCL semi-final? The women’s international teams are set to meet in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, scheduled in September as well.
On the flip side, playing in the semi-final against Pakistan Champions might make some Indian legends look foolish. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and Irfan Pathan all boycotted the group stage clash against the neighbouring legends. Now, it would be tricky for their fans to justify them if they play the penultimate clash.
Sponsor pulls out of IND vs PAK tie
Amid this uncertainty, WCL has taken another blow. Travel company EaseMyTrip, one of the event sponsors, has withdrawn its association from the semi-final. Co-founder Nishant Pitti announced the decision publicly, saying, “Terror and cricket cannot go hand in hand. Nation first, business later.”
India scraped into the top four after a crucial win over West Indies Champions, while Pakistan topped the table unbeaten. The clash, on paper, promises everything fans crave in an India-Pakistan fixture. But with politics, public sentiment, and everything all in play, the next 48 hours will decide whether the Legends finally meet on the field or if Pakistan walk into the final unopposed.
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