Pak, India to clash in WCL semifinal
The highly anticipated clash between India Champions and Pakistan Champions is back on the cards, as India secured their semifinal spot in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 by defeating the West Indies Champions in a must-win match at Grace Road on Tuesday.
This will be the second time the two sides face off in the tournament. Their first scheduled encounter was called off after India refused to take the field against Pakistan.
Chasing a target of 145 runs set by West Indies, India needed to complete the chase within 14.1 overs to qualify for the knockouts.
Led by a match-winning half-century from Stuart Binny and crucial contributions from skipper Yuvraj Singh, India successfully chased down the total in the 13.2 overs, securing their place in the semifinals.
Pakistan, South Africa and Australia Champions had already confirmed their semifinal berths.
The Men in Green topped the points table with four wins from five matches, accumulating nine points and boasting a net run rate of +2.452.
South Africa finished second with four wins and one loss, while Australia secured third spot with two wins and two losses from five games.
India, despite winning just one of their four matches, edged past England and West Indies on net run rate to claim the final semifinal spot.
The two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, will face off in a high-stakes semifinal in Birmingham on July 31. The second semifinal, between South Africa and Australia, will also take place on the same day and venue.
Ind sponsor pulls out
Travel company EaseMyTrip has announced its decision to withdraw as a sponsor for the high-profile India vs Pakistan semi-final in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, scheduled to take place on July 31 in Birmingham.
The announcement came just hours after India secured their place in the knockout stage, edging past England and West Indies on net run rate despite winning only one of their four group-stage matches.
EaseMyTrip co-founder Nishant Pitti made the announcement on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday morning, congratulating the Indian team, led by Yuvraj Singh, on their qualification but clarifying the company's position regarding the sponsorship.
"We applaud Team India @India_Champions for their outstanding performance in the World Championship of Legends. You've made the nation proud," Pitti wrote.
"However, the upcoming semi-final against Pakistan is not just another game. EaseMyTrip will not be associated with the India vs Pakistan match in WCL. Some things are bigger than sport. Nation first, business later. Always. Jai Hind," the post added.
Earlier in the tournament, India had forfeited their group-stage match against Pakistan after several players, including senior names like Shikhar Dhawan and Harbhajan Singh, opted out of the fixture.
Dhawan had previously shared an email communication with WCL officials stating his decision not to participate in matches against Pakistan due to ongoing political tensions.
During India's group-stage clash against England on July 27, Dhawan was asked by a fan whether he would play in a potential semi-final against Pakistan.
Clearly displeased with the timing and nature of the question, Dhawan responded bluntly.
"Brother, you're asking this question at the wrong place right now. Do you think I'm going to answer? You shouldn't be asking this. And if I haven't played earlier, then I still won't play," said Dhawan.
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