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Time of India
14 minutes ago
- Sport
- Time of India
EaseMyTrip withdraws sponsorship of Cricket league over Pakistan participation, says: We support Team India, but ...; Shikhar Dhawan shares his email
Travel-tech Portal EaseMyTrip has withdrawn its sponsorship of the World Championship of Legends (WCL). In a statement, the company said that despite entering into a five-year sponsorship agreement with WCL two years ago, it will not associate with or participate in any match involving Pakistan. The India vs Pakistan match has been officially called off, following strong objections from Indian players and tournament sponsor, EaseMyTrip. India and Pakistan were scheduled to face off in Birmingham, UK, on Sunday July 20. What EaseMyTrip said on withdrawing from WCL 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 by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo We proudly continue to support the India Champions and stand firmly by our team. However, as a matter of principle, we do not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan. This position was communicated unambiguously to the WCL team from the beginning. EaseMyTrip supports Team India, but will not engage in any match featuring Pakistan. WCL organisers issue public apology The tournament organisers issued a formal apology for "hurting sentiments" and "causing discomfort" to the Indian legends. In a statement, WCL organisers said the India-Pakistan fixture was scheduled in the spirit of fostering goodwill, taking inspiration from a recent friendly volleyball match between the two countries. 'The fixture was planned to create happy memories for fans,' the statement read. 'But we understand that it may have caused unease to the Indian legends and fans. We sincerely apologise for hurting sentiments and have decided to cancel the match.' Indian cricket players announce boycott Earlier, several Indian players like Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan also announced that they would not be playing the India-Pakistan game. Reports said that some other players in the India line-up have also taken a similar stance. In a post on social media platform Twitter, Dhawan shared an email he had sent to WCL organisers on May 11. '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 made on May 11. My country is everything for me, and nothing is greater than the nation,' Dhawan wrote. India Legends are the defending champions of the WCL, having defeated Pakistan in last year's final. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Indian Express
38 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
What is cricket's World Championship of Legends, which saw the Ind vs Pak match cancelled?
Slated to be held at Edgbaston on Sunday (July 20), the India vs Pakistan match of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) was cancelled following recent military tensions between the countries after the Pahalgam attack in April. Several Indian players, including Harbhajan Singh and the Pathan brothers, were reported to have announced their withdrawal in the lead-up. While Shikhar Dhawan shared his formal communication of withdrawal on his X account, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina reposted a message from the WCL sponsor and the Indian travel bookings website, EaseMyTrip. '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… as a matter of principle, we do not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan', the post said. Here is what to know about the tournament in question. This is the second edition of the WCL, with India winning the inaugural league last year in the final against Pakistan. It has been described as a 'showcase of retired and non-contracted players from cricketing giants, including England, India, Pakistan, Australia, West Indies, and South Africa' on its website. Some of the cricketers participating this year are West Indies' player Chris Gayle, South Africa's AB de Villiers, Australia's Brett Lee, Pakistan's Shahid Afridi and England's Kevin Pietersen. Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn and musician Harshit Tomar own the WCL. This year, it will feature matches in four UK cities: Birmingham, Northampton, Leeds, and Leicester. The now-cancelled India vs Pakistan match had tickets beginning from £24 (Rs 2,772), with the VIP experience priced at £186 (Rs 21,490). The idea of a tournament featuring former pro players isn't novel; other matches and series have also been held in the past. A decade ago, a Twenty20 exhibition series was held in the United States at three baseball stadiums, with teams led by Sachin Tendulkar and the late Shane Warne. Just this year, another series called the International Masters League had its inaugural season in India. It was co-founded by Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar. What did the organisers say about the cancellation? In a post on X, the WCL said, '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.' They added, '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. Hence, we have decided to call off the India-Pakistan match. We sincerely apologise again for hurting the sentiments and hope people will understand that all we ever wanted was to bring a few happy moments to the fans.' There is no official policy on retired Indian players playing Pakistani teams at such events, and it also poses questions about the latter part of the tournament, where the two teams might meet in the semi-finals or the final. The decision likely stemmed from the players and organisers' views, as well as the prevailing public opinion in India. However, several sporting events have seen the repercussions of the larger diplomatic tensions between the countries of late. Earlier this month, it was learnt that India will allow Pakistani players to visit the country to participate in non-bilateral events. An Indian sporting official said, 'While India won't be involved in the bilateral engagement with Pakistan, we won't be stopping them from participating in the multi-national tournaments India is hosting.' This may not necessarily mean that Pakistan's cricketers will travel to India, as the two countries have mutually decided to play at neutral venues until 2027. The last Indian team to cross the border for cricket was M S Dhoni's side that played the Asia Cup in June-July 2008, a few months before the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks ended such tours. While Pakistan came to India for the 50-over World Cup in 2023, India played the Asia Cup matches in Sri Lanka. India also played its ICC Champions tournament matches earlier this year in Dubai, since Pakistan hosted the event. Amid strained ties, the two countries haven't held a bilateral series since 2013, only playing at multi-team events. That period has also seen the rise of Indian cricket and the decline of Pakistan. The country has also been shut out from the biggest money-spinning tournament in the sport, the Indian Premier League, after the inaugural 2008 season.
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First Post
2 hours ago
- Business
- First Post
WCL sponsor boycotts Pakistan as organisers cancel India match: 'We do not support match that includes Pakistan'
The fallout from the controversy surrounding the now-cancelled India vs Pakistan match at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 continues, as one of the major sponsors has announced a boycott of Pakistan's matches in the tournament. read more The World Championship of Legends (WCL) organisers are facing immense criticism on social media as they were forced to cancel the India vs Pakistan match, scheduled for Sunday (20 July) at Edgbaston. Now, one of the major sponsors of the event, an Indian company, has distanced itself from the matches against Pakistan, stating that they don't want to be a part of any games involving the Pakistan legends. EaseMyTrip, a travel-tech company and the official sponsor of the WCL, has released a statement on X (formerly Twitter) stating that they had informed the organisers at the start of the 2025 tournament that they do not want to associate with Pakistan matches. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD EaseMyTrip distances itself from matches vs 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,' the sponsor said on X. Official Statement from EaseMyTrip 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… — (@EaseMyTrip) July 19, 2025 'However, as a matter of principle, we do not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan. This position was communicated unambiguously to the WCL team from the beginning. EaseMyTrip supports Team India, but will not engage in any match featuring Pakistan. Let's bring the cup home. Bharat First. Always,' the sponsor added. Meanwhile, the WCL organisers have apologised for 'hurting' the sentiments of Indian fans. They also regretted causing 'discomfort' to Indian legends and 'affecting' their sponsors. '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,' WCL said in a statement. Meanwhile, a report has claimed that the match was cancelled after former Indian cricket greats, including Shikhar Dhawan, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh pulled out from the contest against Pakistan. The legendary Indian cricketers were reportedly not happy that Shahid Afridi, a well-known critic of the Indian government, was part of the match.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WCL in chaos! Sponsors ditch Pakistan after India legends' shock exit — ‘Will not engage in...'
India won the World Championship of Legends last year. The veterans' cricket match between India and Pakistan scheduled for Sunday in the World Championship of Legends in Birmingham has been cancelled after Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, withdrew citing the Pahalgam terror attack in April. The decision came after Indian players faced criticism on social media for agreeing to play against Pakistan, leading to multiple players including Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, and Irfan Pathan boycotting the match. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The tournament, co-owned by Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, began on June 18 at Edgbaston and is set to conclude with the final on August 2. a leading sponsor of the WCL has also released a statement. "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 " by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo We proudly continue to support the India Champions and stand firmly by our team. However, as a matter of principle, we do not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan. "This position was communicated unambiguously to the WCL team from the beginning. EaseMyTrip supports Team India, but will not engage in any match featuring Pakistan. "Let's bring the cup home. Bharat First. Always." The WCL organizers explained their initial decision to hold the match through a statement on their X account: "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. But maybe in the process, we ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions." The organizers subsequently announced the cancellation: "Hence, we have decided to call off the India-Pakistan match. We sincerely apologise again for hurting the sentiments and hope people will understand that all we ever wanted was to bring a few happy moments to the fans." India had previously defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the inaugural edition of the six-team legends tournament last year at Edgbaston. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Business Recorder
India‑Pakistan veterans match at WCL cancelled after Indans pull out
The much‑anticipated veterans' cricket match between India and Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) at Edgbaston was abruptly cancelled after several Indian former stars, including Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan, withdrew in protest, citing heightened geopolitical tensions following April's Pahalgam incident. Former India opener Dhawan, writing on X late Saturday, affirmed that he would refuse to 'participate in any matches against the Pakistan team… in view of the current geopolitical situation and prevailing tensions' and noted his position had been communicated as early as May 11. WCL organisers reacted swiftly, announcing the fixture's cancellation in the early hours of Sunday. In their statement, they expressed regret for 'unintentionally causing discomfort to our Indian Cricket Legends' and apologised for 'hurting sentiments,' stating their initial intention had been to 'create happy memories for the fans' . EaseMyTrip, identified as an official WCL sponsor, publicly declared it would not back any event involving Pakistan, aligning with the stance of the Indian players. Soon after the boycott was confirmed, organisers cancelled the India-Pakistan fixture altogether. Amid mounting pressure, WCL issued a formal apology and confirmed the match would not proceed. Sunday's engagement with Pakistan Legends was set to mark India's opening appearance in the tournament, under the leadership of Yuvraj Singh. Pakistan had already played and won it's first match against England, led by Mohammad Hafeez. With the India, Pakistan clash off, WCL will continue with its remaining fixtures among Australia, South Africa, England and West Indies, culminating in an August 2 final.
