India boycotts World Championship of Legends semis against Pakistan

Earlier this month, India had also refused to play Pakistan in the group stage; organisers awarded one point each to both teams after cancelling the match

After refusing to play against Pakistan in the group stage earlier this month, India Champions have now decided to boycott their World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 semi-final clash against Pakistan Champions, continuing their stance. Indian legends, including former stars Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan and Piyush Chawla, will not take the field against Pakistan in the knockout match., which gave Pakistan direct entry in the final the league confirmed.

 

This move follows heightened tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which severely damaged diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan. It also comes amid widespread online backlash against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for agreeing to play Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to begin in September. 

 

Political tensions behind the boycott

The Indian Legends’ decision comes in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of several Indian tourists and escalated hostilities between the two countries. In the wake of the attack, Indian players such as Shikhar Dhawan publicly declared that they would not participate in matches against Pakistan, stating that national sentiment must take precedence over cricketing engagements.

 

The group-stage encounter was cancelled after strong objections from Indian players and key sponsors. Both teams were awarded one point each without taking the field.

Sponsor withdraws support

Adding fuel to the controversy, EaseMyTrip—a principal sponsor of the WCL—officially withdrew its support for the India-Pakistan semi-final. Nishant Pitti, co-founder of EaseMyTrip, said the company could not support events that "attempt to normalise relations with a country that promotes terrorism." He praised Team India for its strong performance in the tournament but emphasised that “terror and cricket cannot go hand in hand.”

 

Pitti added that the decision was guided by public sentiment and asserted, “Some things are bigger than sport. Nation first, business later.”  Check full tweet here: 

India vs Pakistan – WCL Semi-Final  We applaud Team India @India_Champions for their outstanding performance in the World Championship of Legends, you’ve made the nation proud.  However, the upcoming semi-final against Pakistan is not just another game, Terror and cricket cannot…

— Nishant Pitti (@nishantpitti) July 30, 2025

What happens after India boycotts the semi-final?

After India champions refuse to take field against Pakistan in the WCL 2025 semifinal, the league has granted Pakistan direct entry to the final which is set to take place on August 2. Pakitan will face the winner of Australia Legends and South Africa Legends in the final.