As South Africa crush Pakistan to win WCL 2025 title, Suresh Raina: 'Would've crushed them too but chose nation above everything'
The World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 concluded on Sunday with a dominant performance by the South Africa Champions, who secured a 9-wicket victory over Pakistan Champions in the final.
AB de Villiers
played a breathtaking innings, smashing an unbeaten 120 off just 60 balls to seal the title for his team and subsequently winning the Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament accolades.
In the aftermath of this result, former India cricketer
Suresh Raina
voiced a heartfelt sentiment on the social media platform X, saying: "What a knock by AB de Villiers in the final, absolutely smashed it. Had we played, we would've crushed them too, but we chose our nation above everything else."
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While South Africa lifted the trophy, it was India Champions' withdrawal from their high-profile semi-final clash against Pakistan Champions that drew just as much attention.
The match was officially called off by tournament organisers, with Pakistan advancing to the final by default.
The final saw Pakistan Champions post a competitive 195/5 in their 20 overs, with Sharjeel Khan amassing 76 off 44 and Umar Amin scoring an unbeaten 36 off 19.
However, their bowling unit had no answer to South Africa's explosive batting.
Poll
Do you agree with Suresh Raina's statement about India's potential performance?
Yes, they would have won
No, it's just speculation
Partially agree
Not sure
De Villiers, supported by JP Duminy's 50* off 28, made light work of the chase, wrapping up the win in just 16.5 overs.
With India's absence from the semi-finals lingering as a "what-if" moment, Raina's words highlight the confidence within the team and their commitment to representing India beyond just
cricket
.
While the WCL 2025 ended with South Africa's emphatic triumph, the legacy of this edition may ultimately be defined just as much by who didn't play as by who won.
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