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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.
TimesLIVE
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
AB de Villiers leads SA Legends hoping for laughs and some wins
AB de Villiers, vision now fully restored, will lead the South African Legends team at the World Championships of Legends (WCL) in England in July, hoping to be competitive, looking forward to a few laughs and trying to win. De Villiers admitted his enthusiasm for the game was reignited by backyard matches with his sons — where he does more bowling than batting — and then a charity match at SuperSport Park recently against retired players from the Bulls rugby side. He made 100 off 26 balls in that match and by the time the organisers of the WCL called he was happy to add his name to a list of former stars who will participate in England, including Chris Gayle, Brett Lee, Alastair Cook and Shahid Afridi. 'I did a net session before that Bulls game and I enjoyed it so I wanted to get involved and create a competitive team,' said the now 41-year-old De Villiers. WCL Welcomes Kieron Pollard & DJ Bravo to West Indies Champions! The Caribbean flair is back—and it's going to be fire! Don't miss your chance to witness world-class cricketing action this July. @KieronPollard55 @DJBravo47 Book your tickets now: — World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) April 4, 2025 He needed eye surgery last year after battling with an ailment that had been causing him problems in the latter years of his playing days. 'I can definitely see better now,' he joked. 'There is no pressure on us, enjoyment comes first and to sneak a win would be nice.' The WCL, which held its inaugural tournament in the UK last year, is the brainchild of Harshit Tomar, a music producer from India, who said the idea for the tournament came from that country's greatest cricket legend. 'I got the idea during a conversation with Sachin Tendulkar. He said I should look into supporting a legends tournament because there were a lot of people who still wanted to see these great names of the past play.' The WCL differs from the International Masters tournament which took place in March and was won by the Indian team captained by Tendulkar. That tournament is for players aged 40 an over, while the WCL's age limit is 33, with the only stipulation being players who sign up can't be contracted to a national board. The South African WCL team includes Hardus Viljoen, who is still playing domestically, as is Aaron Phangiso and Wayne Parnell, who has just signed on to play for the KwaZulu-Natal-Inland Tuskers next season. Hashim Amla was named on Thursday as the latest addition to the squad. What a day to remember at SuperSport Park! 🥹 Our legends returned to the field, the vibes were unmatched, and the crowd brought the energy! 🙌💙 #TasteOfSSP — Momentum Multiply Titans (@Titans_Cricket) March 13, 2025 Phangiso, 41, who played 21 ODIs and 16 T20 Internationals, didn't hesitate to sign up for the WCL. 'One of the things that motivated me to do this was showing off for my son. He missed out a lot when I was playing [for SA] because he was too young. For him to have an opportunity to see me play with these guys again and to see me play in the green and gold — and I know it's a bit different — for him see me in a jersey that says South Africa, I can't ask for better,' said the left-arm spinner. While Phangiso said yes immediately when called, Chris Morris admitted he was wary and initially answered 'no' when asked to join the team. 'Straight away I said no. In my head, the first thing I thought was, I'm not playing cricket ever again. But once I saw the names involved, I felt I've got to do this,' said Morris, who played four Tests, 42 ODIs and 23 T20Is for the Proteas. 'Most of these teammates are my friends and to go on tour with them again is unbelievable. As a commentator you see a different side of the game — but you wonder, can I still do it? 'Once I got the feeling of who will be there, the teammates I'd have and how the guys were feeling who are going, then the decision was a no-brainer for me.' The T20 tournament, which starts on July 18 and runs until August 2, will be played at four venues including Edgbaston and Headingley. SA Legends AB de Villiers (capt), Richard Levi, Sarel Erwee, Hashim Amla, Dane Vilas, Morne van Wyk, Wayne Parnell, Albie Morkel, Imran Tahir, Chris Morris, JJ Smuts, Aaron Phangiso, Wayne Parnell, Duanne Olivier, Hardus Viljoen.
