Latest news with #AustraliaChampions
Khaleej Times
19 hours ago
- Business
- Khaleej Times
GFS powers 'Australia Champions' title pursuit at World Championship of Legends 2025
The World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 has kicked off with a wave of nostalgia and global excitement, and Australia Champions, powered by GFS Developments, have set their sights firmly on lifting the trophy this season. Running from July 18 to August 2, 2025, the tournament spans four iconic venues across the UK, offering fans a high-octane blend of legendary rivalries, cricketing excellence, and unmatched entertainment. Sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), WCL brings together some of the greatest names in cricket history in a thrilling summer showdown. Led by pace icon Brett Lee, the Australia Champions squad features stalwarts like Shaun Marsh, Chris Lynn, Ben Cutting, and more - promising fireworks on the field. Their campaign is proudly backed by GFS Developments, a name synonymous with premium real estate and visionary developments in Dubai. With over two decades of excellence in the Dubai real estate market, GFS Developments has built a reputation for redefining luxury living - blending opulence, comfort, and cutting-edge design. Their partnership with the Australia Champions is a celebration of shared values: performance, resilience, and innovation. 'We are delighted to associate with the Australia Champions - a team of cricketing legends who continue to inspire and entertain. At GFS Developments, we're not just building homes, we're building dreams and vibrant communities. This collaboration reflects our deep belief in excellence and passion - both on the cricket field and in real estate,' said Irfan Wahid, owner of GFS Developments. 'We're here to win it all this season. We came close last time but fell short. This year, with a stronger resolve and the incredible support of GFS Developments, we're more motivated than ever to bring home the trophy - for our fans and our partners,' said Puneet Singh, owner of Australia Champions, during a special meet-and-greet with GFS team members. The WCL 2025 features six iconic teams: India Champions, Pakistan Champions, England Champions, Australia Champions, South Africa Champions, and West Indies Champions. This season's star-studded player lineup includes cricketing greats like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Eoin Morgan, Moeen Ali, Sir Alastair Cook, AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, and many more. Fans can catch all the action LIVE on Star Sports and FanCode, with daily matches at 5pm and 9pm IST.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
IND vs ENG: 'There was a lot of pressure on him' - Shaun Marsh praises Shubman Gill's captaincy ahead of 4th Test
India captain Shubman Gill during a net session at Emirates Old Trafford (Photo by) Australia Champions batter Shaun Marsh has praised Indian skipper Shubman Gill for his leadership during the ongoing India vs England Test series, saying the young captain has handled the pressure well. Marsh also highlighted the rise of young Indian cricketers and their impact on the team after the retirements of senior players. 'Gill, who's taken over the captaincy. There was a lot of pressure on him coming into this series, and he's really stood up,' said Marsh. 'You know, India's got so many talented cricketers who come out of their country. And I think we're seeing that now with the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retiring, these young players are coming in and stepping up. And it just goes to show how much potential and talent is in India at the moment,' the Australia Champions batter told ANI. Marsh is currently representing the Australia Champions side in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, which runs from July 18 to August 2 in the UK. The tournament features six iconic teams - India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and West Indies—bringing together former international stars for a competitive T20 spectacle. Shubman Gill blames 'judgement error' as Rishabh Pant run-out haunts India in Lord's heartbreak Fellow Australia Champions player Ben Dunk reflected on the India vs Australia rivalry, calling it a strong and respectful one. 'It is a very good rivalry… Two Cricket nations, who adore Cricket, who love Cricket and have a longstanding. It will be great to come up against them and it will be great to beat them, hopefully,' said Dunk. He believes Australia have a strong chance of going all the way in the tournament. 'I am really confident, Australia has a pretty good record of putting their hands on trophies, and I see no reason why we can't follow on…' Poll How do you rate Shubman Gill's performance as captain so far in the ongoing series? Good Average Poor Marsh echoed the excitement, expressing hope that his side can go the distance this season. 'Very excited. Hopefully, we can go two steps further this year and lift the cup this season,' added Marsh. The Australia Champions squad includes names like Brett Lee, Chris Lynn, Ben Cutting, and others, adding firepower and experience to their WCL 2025 campaign. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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First Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
'We are here on a tournament': Brett Lee delivers candid take on India vs Pakistan WCL match cancellation
Australia's pace bowling legend Brett Lee speaks on the cancelled India Champions vs Pakistan Champions encounter in the WCL. Lee is representing Australia Champions in the tournament. read more The World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 match between India Champions and Pakistan Champions was cancelled after intense backlash on social media and the reported last-minute withdrawals by several Indian players. Given the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, scheduling any India vs Pakistan encounter at any stage would have been a delicate affair. As an India vs Pakistan clash gets massive attention around the world, the match getting cancelled sparked an inundation of reactions. Subsequently, Australia's bowling legend Brett Lee, who is representing Australia Champions in the tournament, has expressed his thoughts on the eventual fate of the match. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Brett Lee on India vs Pakistan match getting cancelled While addressing the 'tough question', the former speedster maintained a neutral stance. 'That is a tough question. But the thing I'll say right is, I love India, I love Pakistan. So I hope that they can get to a discretion where they can appreciate themselves. But most importantly, we are here on a tournament. So Australia versus India versus South Africa. We are all inclusive. So what happened last night is what happened. We pushed for it,' Lee, told reporters in a press conference. Pakistan Champions owner offers clarity After the match was scrapped, various queries regarding the status of the tournament and the Pakistan team emerged, and team owner Kamil Khan has come out to address all of them. As per Khan, the rest of the tournament will go ahead as per the original plans. Moreover, if the case of another India vs Pakistan battle comes forward in the semi-finals, then the teams will be put in separate matches. 'All the remaining matches are taking place. The tournament is going on as per schedule, and there are no changes," GeoNews quoted Kamil Khan as saying. 'As for the semifinals and final, we're currently saying that if we make it to the semifinals, there will be four teams, and we will avoid matches between the two teams,' he said.
India Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
I love India: Brett Lee reacts to India-Pakistan champions clash cancellation
Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has weighed in on the cancellation of the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan fixture at the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL), calling the situation "tough" while emphasising the importance of mutual respect and inclusivity in global India vs Pakistan WCL clash, scheduled to take place at Edgbaston in Birmingham, was called off after several former Indian cricketers reportedly refused to take part. Their decision came in the wake of the heinous terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on 22 April-an incident that further strained already delicate ties between India and at a press conference while representing the Australia Champions side, Lee acknowledged the complexity of the situation but maintained a neutral and respectful tone. "That is a tough quesion. But the thing I'll say right is, I love India, I love Pakistan. So I hope that they can get to a discretion where they can appreciate themselves. But most importantly, we are here on a tournament. So Australia versus India versus South Africa. We are all inclusive. So what happened last night is what happened. We pushed for it," Lee, who is representing Australia Champions, told reporters in a press WCL, in its official statement, revealed that the India-Pakistan fixture was planned with the intention of fostering goodwill-drawing inspiration from a recent volleyball match between the two nations. However, the move drew backlash, particularly from the Indian contingent, prompting the organisers to cancel the match. The WCL also issued an apology for any distress or discomfort the announcement may have caused, admitting it may have misjudged the emotional Champions skipper Shikhar Dhawan later clarified that the decision not to play Pakistan had been communicated to the organisers well in advance. Sharing an email dated 11 May, Dhawan reiterated his stance in a post on X:"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 stand by the decision I took on 11 May. My country means everything to me, and nothing is more important than the nation.)India Champions, who lifted the WCL title last year, had beaten Pakistan in the final with a commanding five-wicket victory. Chasing 157, the Indian side delivered a powerful batting performance to seal the win and lift the trophy.- Ends
NDTV
2 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
"I Love India, I Love...": Brett Lee On India vs Pakistan Champions Match Cancellation
Former Australia tearaway Brett Lee weighed in on the recent contest that was called off between India and Pakistan in the ongoing World Championships of Legends (WCL). Before the clash, WCL released a statement and confirmed that the India-Pakistan fixture at Edgbaston in Birmingham had been scrapped. According to various reports, several former Indian stars refused to participate in the fixture. The denial of Indian players to feature against Pakistan stems from the heinous terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam on April 22. Following the attack, the relationship between India and Pakistan slumped and hit a new low. Lee was quizzed about his views on the match between the two fierce rivals being called off. While addressing the "tough question", the former speedster maintained a neutral stance. "That is a tough question. But the thing I'll say right is, I love India, I love Pakistan. So I hope that they can get to a discretion where they can appreciate themselves. But most importantly, we are here on a tournament. So Australia versus India versus South Africa. We are all inclusive. So what happened last night is what happened. We pushed for it," Lee, who is representing Australia Champions, told reporters in a press conference. WCL claimed that it had announced the India-Pak fixture after a recent volleyball match between the two countries to create happy memories for fans. However, the move backfired, and the league acknowledged in its statement that the decision may have ended up hurting the feelings of many and causing discomfort to the Indian legends. In response, a decision was made to call off the fixture. WCL further apologised for any hurt sentiments. Dhawan shared an email written to the tournament organisers, where he stated that the decision not to play Pakistan had been communicated to the organisers on May 11. The email mentioned that the decision not to play Pakistan was made in consideration of the current geo-political situation. In his post on X, Dhawan said, "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 stand by the decision I took on May 11. My country is everything to me, and nothing is bigger than the country.) In the previous edition of the WCL, India Champions trounced Pakistan to secure a five-wicket victory in the final. India gunned down a 157-run target with a blistering batting display to lift the title.
