BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom: Pakistan Champions have advanced to the final of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 after India Champions refused to play their scheduled semi-final match on Thursday in Birmingham.
As a result, Pakistan were awarded a walkover and will now face the winner of the second semi-final between Australia Champions and South Africa Champions, Cricinfo reported.
This marks the second instance during the tournament where the India Champions have declined to face Pakistan.
In the group stage fixture on 20 July, both teams were awarded one point each after India refused to participate.
Despite that, Pakistan topped the group with nine points from five matches, while India secured the fourth spot with three points, narrowly edging out England Champions on net run rate after defeating West Indies Champions in their final group game.
Indian media reported that several senior players, including Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan, were unwilling to play against Pakistan.
Tensions between India and Pakistan have long impacted sporting ties, with bilateral cricketing relations suspended since 2012. However, both countries continue to meet in multi-nation tournaments.
Cricket enthusiasts have expressed disappointment over politics overshadowing sport and criticised the India Champions’ stance for undermining the spirit of the game.
