India Champions Team Refuses To Play With Pakistan In WCL Semi-Final, Sponsor Pulls Out
The India Champions team has declined to participate in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) semi-final against Pakistan Champions, scheduled for Thursday in Birmingham. This decision upholds the team’s consistent stance of not competing against their arch-rivals, a move that was echoed by one of the tournament’s main sponsors, who also withdrew from the high-stakes match.
The confirmation came on Wednesday after sources close to the Indian team revealed that the retired international players representing India Champions would not take the field. This follows a similar incident earlier in the tournament when the league stage match between the two nations was called off due to strong objections from Indian players and a sponsor. Former cricketers like Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan had publicly stated they would not participate in matches against Pakistan.
Adding to the controversy, one of the WCL’s principal sponsors, EaseMyTrip, announced it was pulling out of its association with the India-Pakistan semi-final. The company’s co-founder, Nishant Pitti, released a statement saying, “Terror and cricket cannot go hand in hand. @EaseMyTrip, we stand with India. We cannot support any event that attempts to normalise relations with a country that promotes terrorism”. The statement clarified that while the company would continue to support India Champions, it would not be associated with any match involving Pakistan.
India Champions had a turbulent journey to the semi-finals, starting their campaign with three consecutive losses to South Africa, Australia, and England. Their only point before their final group match came from the abandoned fixture against Pakistan. They secured their spot in the semi-finals with a dramatic, must-win victory over West Indies Champions on Tuesday, chasing down a target of 145 in just 13.2 overs to qualify on net run rate.
The refusal to play casts uncertainty over the remainder of the tournament. With India likely forfeiting, Pakistan Champions are expected to advance to the final due to their higher finish in the league standings
