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World Championship of Legends India vs Pakistan match cancelled amid rising tensions
The World Championship of Legends (WCL) India vs Pakistan match, scheduled for July 20 at Edgbaston, Birmingham, has been officially cancelled after withdrawal from many Indian players.
koushik.biswas
Jul 20, 2025
The India vs Pakistan match in WCL 2025 was cancelled. Image | WCL
The highly anticipated World Championship of Legends (WCL) India vs Pakistan match, scheduled for July 20 at Edgbaston, Birmingham, has been officially cancelled. Tournament organisers announced escalating tensions between the two nations, citing security concerns and recent events relating to cross-border terrorism.
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Reasons Behind the Cancellation
Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, and Yusuf Pathan publicly took their name from the fixture. They mentioned the geopolitical situation, particularly after the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam in April earlier this year, which resulted in multiple civilian casualties.
“Jo kadam 11 May ko liya, uspe aaj bhi waise hi khada hoon. Mera desh mere liye sab kuch hai, aur desh se badhkar kuch nahi hota (I still stand by the step I took on 11 May. My country is everything for me, and nothing is bigger than the nation,” Shikhar Dhawan wrote on X.
Along with that, there was widespread backlash from the Indian public against the idea of staging an India vs. Pakistan match amidst ongoing excoriations. Social media noticed calls for a boycott, and sponsors like EaseMyTrip also voiced resistance to the fixture.
WCL’s full statement on cancellation of the India vs Pakistan match:
“We at WCL have always cherished and loved cricket, and 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,” the WCL said in a statement on X.
Will the fans recieve a refund for the bought ticket?
Edgbaston Stadium and the organiser have announced that ticket holders will receive full refunds.
What will happen to points table after the cancellation?
Both India Champions and Pakistan Champions will get one point each after the cancellation of the match.
WCL 2025 points table after cancellation of IND vs PAK match
| Team | Matches | Win | Loss | NR | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pakistan Champions | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | +0.250 |
| South Africa Champions | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +0.091 |
| Australia Champions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.000 |
| India Champions | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.000 |
| England Champions | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -0.250 |
| West Indies Champions | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.091 |
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