In a powerful gesture underscoring national solidarity, the India Champions team officially withdrew from the World Championship of Legends (WCL) semifinal against Pakistan, which was scheduled to be played at Edgbaston Cricket Ground.
The decision comes as a response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, reflecting the team’s collective stand against playing Pakistan amid rising tensions.
With no official statement yet released, an insider revealed that the decision was unanimous among the players, who cited national sentiment as their highest priority, even above the stakes of the high-profile semifinal.
“We are not playing Pakistan in the semis. Our nation always comes first. We’ve worn the Indian jersey with pride, and we will never compromise our principles. Even if it were the final, our decision would remain the same,” said a team member anonymously.
This marks the second boycott by the Indian team during the tournament—they had earlier refused to play their group-stage match against Pakistan on July 20.
The WCL organisers respected the stance taken by the Indian team and subsequently called off the match, allowing Pakistan to advance to the final by default.
The latest move once again brings into focus the strained sports diplomacy between India and Pakistan, which has deteriorated further following the Pahalgam attack and subsequent military standoff. Despite the ongoing tensions, both the men’s and women’s national teams are scheduled to face Pakistan later this year in the Asia Cup (September 14) and ICC Women’s ODI World Cup (October 6) respectively.
