The World Championship of Legends has officially called off the India-Pakistan match, scheduled today in Edgbaston, over strained relations between the neighbouring nations in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. WCL decided to cancel the match after several senior Indian players said they wouldn't play against Pakistan.
In a statement, WCL said the match was scheduled in line with recent fixtures between the nations in other sports. "...our only aim has been to give fans some good, happy moments. After hearing the news that the Pakistan hockey team will be coming to India this year, and seeing the recent India vs Pakistan volleyball match along with a few other fixtures between the two nations in different sports, we thought of continuing with the India vs Pakistan match at WCL - just to create some happy memories for people around the globe," WCL said in a statement published on X.
Dear all , pic.twitter.com/ViIlA3ZrLl
— World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) July 19, 2025
WCL said they might have "ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions". It added, "More than that, we unintentionally caused discomfort to our Indian Cricket Legends, who have brought so much glory to the country, and we ended up affecting the brands who supported us purely out of love for the game," it said. WCL apologised for hurting sentiments of cricket fans.
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Earlier, WCL sponsor EaseMyTrip said they would not take part in any match involving Pakistan. "Despite entering into a 5-year sponsorship agreement with the World Championship of Legends (WCL) two years ago, our stance has always been clear—EaseMyTrip will not be associated with or participate in any WCL match involving Pakistan. We proudly continue to support the India Champions and stand firmly by our team," it said. The travel-tech platform said it had communicated this decision to organisers earlier.
On Saturday, senior Indian cricket player Harbhajan Singh announced his decision to opt out of the match over strained relations between the nations. Cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina also announced their decision that they wouldn't be playing the India-Pakistan match. Since the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, India has only played Pakistan once in a bilateral series.
