New Delhi: The India-Pakistan tensions have again cast a shadow on the second edition of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), as India Champions have pulled out of the semi‑final against their Pakistan counterparts.
The match was to take place Thursday at Edgbaston.
It is for the second time that an India‑Pakistan match, the most anticipated cricket fixture given their historic rivalry, took a backseat in the tournament being held in England. Earlier, the team from India had refused to face Pakistan in the league stage, following the Pahalgam terror attack in April.
“Retired international players representing India Champions have refused to play against Pakistan Champions in the semi-final of the World Championship of Legends in Birmingham,” PTI reported, quoting sources.
The team had lost to South Africa, Australia and England Champions before registering a victory against West Indies.
Prior to the semi-final match, the league match was shelved, after team members like Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan were firm on not playing with Pakistan, aligning their personal stance with the national sentiments following Operation Sindoor.
The episode comes at a time when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is facing a backlash following the Asian Cricket Council’s announcement of the Asia Cup schedule. India is scheduled to take on Pakistan on 14 September. Placed in the same group, the archrivals are likely to square off again on 21st and 28th in the UAE.
Before India Champions pulled out of the game, one of the major sponsors, EaseMyTrip, announced that it would not be associated with the semi-final clash between India-Pakistan.
“The upcoming semi-final against Pakistan is not just another game. Terror and cricket cannot go hand in hand. We stand with India. We cannot support any event that attempts to normalise relations with a country that promotes terrorism,” EaseMyTrip co-founder Nishant Pitti had posted on X.
The decision, he said, was taken keeping with the national sentiment. “The people of India have spoken and we hear them.”
“Some things are bigger than sport. Nation first business later always,” he added.
He expressed that while praising the Indian legends for their wonderful tournament run, this match transcends cricket. “We applaud Team India for their outstanding performance in the World Championship of Legends, you’ve made the nation proud,” Pitti wrote, therefore re-emphasising his stance against any sporting engagement with Pakistan at this time.
Sana Cheryl Felix is an alum of ThePrint School of Journalism, currently interning with ThePrint
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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