India Forfeits Legends Semifinal Against Pakistan Amidst Rising Tensions

The highly anticipated semifinal clash between India and Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends has been called off. The match, scheduled for Thursday, July 31st, in Birmingham, was cancelled due to the Indian team's refusal to compete against their rivals. Sources close to the tournament organizers have confirmed that Pakistan has been awarded the victory and will proceed to the final.

Shikhar Dhawan, part of the India team in the WCL, has made his stance clear about not playing against Pakistan © Getty

This decision follows a similar stance taken by the Indian players during the league stage, where they also declined to play against Pakistan. Reportedly, the presence of Shahid Afridi in the Pakistani side was a significant factor in their objection.

This development occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions and anti-Pakistan sentiment within India. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has faced considerable criticism for agreeing to host the Asia Cup, a tournament that could potentially see India and Pakistan face each other multiple times. This decision has been met with public disapproval.

Earlier this week, a major tournament sponsor, EaseMyTrip, announced its withdrawal of support for any matches involving Pakistan. The company stated, "EaseMyTrip will not be associated with or participate in any WCL match involving Pakistan... we do not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan."

The India Champions side boasts prominent players such as Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, and Piyush Chawla. Several days prior, Dhawan publicly reaffirmed his May declaration, stating he would not participate in any matches against Pakistan.

Prior to this cancellation, the Indian Champions secured their semifinal berth by defeating the West Indies on Tuesday. The other semifinal match features South Africa against Australia, also scheduled for Thursday.