Latest news with #WclLeague
News18
8 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
AB De Villiers Comes Clutch Again! Brilliant Last-Ball Run-Out Lights Up WCL
Last Updated: 'Clutch' AB de Villiers' fielding brilliance on the last ball secured South Africa's win over Australia in the WCL 2025 semi-final. AB de Villiers turned back the clock with his fielding prowess on the last ball of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 semi-final against Australia on Thursday. Australia Champions needed three runs off the last ball to win. Wayne Parnell nailed a yorker against Dan Christian, who could only dink it down the ground. The batters completed the first run rapidly but before they could make it two and tie the game, de Villiers collected the ball at long off and nailed an accurate throw at the non-striker's end to catch Nathan Coulter-Nile run-out and seal the win. Watch it here: AB & Parnell – the duo delivers once again!🙌🏻😍South Africa takes the win in style! #wcl #wcl2025 #worldchampionshipoflegends #cricket #cricket #southafrica — World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) July 31, 2025 The WCL is a private tournament where retired cricketers participate. de Villiers is leading South Africa who'll now play the final against Pakistan Champions (who reached the summit clash after India withdrew from their semi-final) on August 2, Saturday. South Africa's first innings revolved around a blistering 112-run stand between Morne van Wyk and JJ Smuts after AB de Villiers' early dismissal. Van Wyk smashed seven fours and five sixes in his 35-ball 76, while Smuts anchored with 57 off 41. Despite their platform, quick wickets in the death overs curtailed their surge, with Peter Siddle's 4-30 pushing them back. In reply, Chris Lynn's fiery 35 off 20 gave Australia a flying start, but Wayne Parnell struck to halt the momentum. Shaun Marsh (25 off 17) and D'Arcy Short (33 off 29) steadied the chase, while Dan Christian added a crucial 33-run stand with Short. Needing 14 off the last over, Rob Quiney's six on the first ball reignited hopes, but tight bowling and the stunning de Villiers throw sealed the win as Christian was run out attempting a second run. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
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First Post
a day ago
- Sport
- First Post
‘India ke liye kuch bhi': Legends refuse to play Pakistan in WCL semifinals, say ‘would have done the same in final'
India Champions pulled out of the WCL 2025 semifinal against Pakistan following backlash over national sentiment after the Pahalgam attack. The organisers canceled the match and awarded Pakistan a place in the final via walkover. read more The India Champions team has pulled out of the 2025 World Championship of Legends (WCL) semifinal 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 the enemy. 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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The legends were put in the same situation when the semifinal 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 ! — World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) July 30, 2025 'We will never let our country down' 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. The 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. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD '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.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
WCL 2025: Pakistan Champions progresses to final after India refuses to play semifinal
Pakistan Champions progressed to the final of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) after India Champions withdrew from the semifinal against it. WCL confirmed the Pakistan team's qualification through a social media post. India had refused to play against archrival Pakistan in the semifinals in Birmingham on Thursday, citing the nation's stand against any bilateral sporting ties with the neighbouring country after the Pahalgam terror attack. Semi - Finals Update ! — World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) July 30, 2025 The Indian team, which includes legends like Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Yuvraj Singh, and Suresh Raina, among others, had already expressed its unwillingness to play against Pakistan during the group stage. India Champions advanced to the semifinals of the ongoing World Championship of Legends after defeating West Indies Champions in just 13.2 overs in its last group match on Tuesday. Pakistan will now face the winner of the semifinal between Australia and South Africa. WCL 2025 final will happen on August 2 in Birmingham.
Express Tribune
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
WCL organisers call off India-Pakistan legends match
Listen to article 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. Dear all , — World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) July 19, 2025 "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. Read More: Shastri makes bold prediction about Rahul 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. Also Read: Tehran says air defence systems restored after Israel conflict 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.
India.com
20-07-2025
- Sport
- India.com
After ‘Operation Sindoor', India vs Pakistan called off due to…
Shikhar Dhawan India and Pakistan were scheduled to face-off in the World Championship of Legends cricket match in Birmingham on Sunday. However, the match has been cancelled following the refusal of Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, to participate in the match due to the Pahalgam terror attack in April. The second edition of the tournament kicked off on June 18 at Edgbaston and will be concluded on August 2. The India legends are captained by World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh and the team also have Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa and Varun Aaron, among others. WCL organisers issues statement, says their intent was to create 'Happy memories' The WCL organisers issued a statement on their X account, and shared the decision of cancellation, while they also said that their intent while playing the match was to create some happy memories. '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 WCL statement read 'But maybe in the process, we ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions,' the statement further read Dear all , — World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) July 19, 2025 Shikhar Dhawan backs out of India vs Pakistan match Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan, has withdrawn from the highly-anticipated India vs Pakistan match in the World Championship of Legends 2025, which was due to take place on Sunday at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham. Dhawan cited the Pahalgam terror attack as the reason for backing out of all matches against Pakistan, on social media. 'Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota (The decision I took on May 11, I stand by it even today. My country means everything to me, and nothing is above the nation)' Dhawan said in a statement Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota. Jai Hind! 🇮🇳 — Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) July 19, 2025 He had previously cleared his stance on May 11, stating he would participate in the tournament, but would not play in any matches against Pakistan. 'Dear Team, I trust this email finds you well. This is to fomally reiterate and confirm that Mr. Shikhar Dhawan will not be participating in any matches against the Pakistan team in the upcoming WCL League. This decision was communicated earlier during our discussion on call and WhatsApp dated 11th May 2025,' Dhawan's official statement read The Pahalgam terror attack took place on April 22 and left 26 civilians dead outside of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, and the attack was initially claimed by The Resistance Front which is part of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. India's WCL squad Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Piyush Chawla, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Siddarth Kaul, Gurkeerat Singh Maan.
