Latest news with #WCL
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First Post
3 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
Afridi takes a dig at India after Yuvraj and Co boycott WCL semi-final against Pakistan: 'Don't know with what face...'
The Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions team opted to boycott their match against Pakistan Champions for the second time in the 2025 World Championship of Legends due to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam as well as the subsequent military conflict. read more Shahid Afridi appeared to take a jibe at the Indian Champions team for their boycott against Pakistan Champions at WCL 2025. Image credit: AP/WCL Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi appeared to take a jibe at the Indian team taking part in the ongoing World Championship of Legends after the semi-final clash between the two arch-rivals was called off due to recent political tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations. Current trophy holders India Champions opted to relinquish the title than face Pakistan Champions in the first of the two semi-finals on Thursday, having narrowly secured a top-four finish in the six-team event with a victory over West Indies Champions in the final group match of the event. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On the eve of their showdown on Thursday, Afridi made a pointed remarked that apparently was directed at the Indian team while speaking at an event in Birmingham. India had opted to boycott their group-stage match against Pakistan earlier in the tournament, and maintained their stance even as the tournament entered the knockout phase. 'Pata nehi India kis muh se khelega magar khelega humare sath hi (Don't know with what face India will play, but they'll end up playing with us only),' Afridi had said at the event. Watch: India Champions, led by iconic all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, had boycotted their match against Pakistan due to the recent military conflict between the two nations that took place in the aftermath of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. The Indian team's stance, additionally, had received support from EaseMyTrip, the WCL's primary sponsor. 'We applaud Team India @India_Champions for their outstanding performance in the World Championship of Legends, you've made the nation proud. However, the upcoming semi-final against Pakistan is not just another game, Terror and cricket cannot go hand in hand,' EaseMyTrip co-founder Nishant Pitti wrote on X on Wednesday. Semi - Finals Update ! — World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) July 30, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan Champions, who had suffered a five-wicket loss at the hands of the Indian team in last year's final, are set to face South Africa Champions in the summit clash on Saturday. While the Pakistanis advanced as a result of India's boycott, the AB de Villiers-led Proteas defeated Australia Champions by 1 run in a thrilling second semi-final after setting Brett Lee's men 187 to win.
NDTV
6 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
WCL Semi-Final Live Updates, South Africa Champions vs Australia Champions Live Score
WCL Semi-Final Live Updates, South Africa vs Australia Champions: AB de Villiers and JJ Smuts are the opening duo for South Africa Champions against Australia in the second semi-final of the World Championship of Legends on Thursday. South Africa Champions, led by AB de Vulliers, have opted to bat against Australia Champions. The winner of the match will face Pakistan in the final. There is some grass on the pitch but the deck is not all that firm and there might be some turn on offer as well, which could aid South Africa Champions as they have better spinners in their lineup. (LIVE SCORECARD) South Africa vs Australia, WCL Semis Live 12.6 1 Steve O'Keefe to Sarel Erwee Full on off, Sarel Erwee knocks it into the off side and sets off for a single. 12.5 0 Steve O'Keefe to Sarel Erwee Quicker and flatter, just outside off, Sarel Erwee steers it towards short third. Dot ball. 12.4 1 Steve O'Keefe to Morne van Wyk A touch short on leg, Morne van Wyk flicks it to short fine leg and takes one. 12.3 1 Steve O'Keefe to Sarel Erwee Short and on off, Sarel Erwee pulls it along the ground to deep mid-wicket for one. 12.2 2 Steve O'Keefe to Sarel Erwee Full on middle, Sarel Erwee gently flicks it in the gap between deep mid-wicket and deep square leg. He picks up two runs. 12.1 1 Steve O'Keefe to Morne van Wyk Tossed up on off, Morne van Wyk drives it down the ground to long off for a single. ! Sarel Erwee is the next batter in. 11.6 W Dan Christian to JJ Smuts OUT! CAUGHT! THAT'S A GOOD CATCH IN THE DEEP BY Ben Cutting! JJ Smuts' wonderful knock comes to an end! Slower length ball, wide outside off, JJ Smuts walks across a touch and plays the pull to the left of deep mid-wicket, where Ben Cutting runs to his left and covers a lot of ground and takes a nice catch in the end as the ball narly popped out of his hands when his knee got stuck into the ground. 11.5 4 Dan Christian to JJ Smuts FOUR! DRILLED! Yorker, outside off, too predictable. JJ Smuts takes a step outside off and drives this wide of the deep point fielder for a four. 11.4 1 Dan Christian to Morne van Wyk Another yorker, well outside off, Morne van Wyk is ready for it as he drives it along the ground to deep extra cover for one.
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First Post
13 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
‘India ke liye kuch bhi': Legends refuse to play Pakistan in WCL semifinals, say ‘would have done the same in final'
India Champions pulled out of the WCL 2025 semifinal against Pakistan following backlash over national sentiment after the Pahalgam attack. The organisers canceled the match and awarded Pakistan a place in the final via walkover. read more The India Champions team has pulled out of the 2025 World Championship of Legends (WCL) semifinal against Pakistan. Earlier, the India Champions were also forced to boycott their group-stage game against Pakistan on July 20 after being criticised for not keeping national sentiments in mind following the Pahalgam attack and for participating in a tournament featuring the enemy. The India Champions, which include some former legends of the game such as Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, and Shikhar Dhawan, along with a major sponsor, succumbed to the pressure and decided to pull out of the match as a last-minute decision. Harbhajan and Pathan are serving Members of Parliament. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The legends were put in the same situation when the semifinal arrived, and before it could become another controversy, they themselves decided to boycott. As a result, the organisers were forced to cancel the game and awarded Pakistan a place in the final via walkover. Semi - Finals Update ! — World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) July 30, 2025 'We will never let our country down' According to an insider who spoke to the Times of India, the India Champions have taken this stand for the country. The insider also added that the team would have taken the same decision even if they had reached the final and were scheduled to play against Pakistan. 'We are not playing against Pakistan (in semis). Our country and nation will always be at the top for us, and then anything. India ke liye kuch bhi. We are proud members of the Indian team. We have struggled and worked hard to put the Indian flag on our shirts, and we earned it. We will never let our country down, no matter what. Bharat Mata ki jai,' the insider was quoted as saying by TOI. The WCL organisers released an official statement. 'At WCL, we have always believed in the power of sport to inspire and bring about positive change in the world. However, public sentiment must always be respected – after all, everything we do is for our audience,' the organisers said in a statement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We respect the India Champions' decision to withdraw from the semi-finals, and we equally respect the Pakistan Champions' readiness to compete. Taking all factors into consideration, the match between the India Champions and the Pakistan Champions has been called off. As a result, Pakistan Champions will advance to the final,' the statement read. Some have argued that the India Champions players should have considered the implications before agreeing to take part in the tournament. It seems their stance on playing against Pakistan shifted only after facing public backlash.
India.com
13 hours ago
- Sport
- India.com
India Champions Forfeit WCL 2025 Semi-Final vs Pakistan; Fans Applaud Bold Stand
WCL 2025: In a major development that has stirred the sporting world, the semi-final clash of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 between India Champions and Pakistan Champions has been officially called off. The decision came after the Indian side refused to take the field against Pakistan, citing national sentiment and the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam earlier this year. The tournament organizers, WCL, issued a statement confirming that the match stands cancelled and that Pakistan Champions will proceed to the final by default, which is scheduled for Saturday. 'Public Sentiment Comes First' - WCL's Official Statement Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, the WCL emphasized its long-held belief in the power of sport to bring change but added that respecting public sentiment remains paramount. 'At WCL, we have always believed in the power of sport to inspire and bring about positive change in the world. However, public sentiment must always be respected — after all, everything we do is for our audience,' the league said in its statement. 'We respect the India Champions' decision to withdraw from the semi-finals, and we equally respect the Pakistan Champions' readiness to compete. Taking all factors into consideration, the match has been called off.' EaseMyTrip Withdraws Sponsorship from India vs Pakistan Clash In a strong show of support for the Indian team's stand, EaseMyTrip, one of the league's key sponsors, had earlier announced that it would not be associated with the match. The company's co-founder Nishant Pitti made a clear and emotional statement: 'Terror and cricket cannot go hand in hand.' EaseMyTrip's move was widely appreciated on social media and mirrored the public mood following the group stage incident when several Indian players had opted out of playing against Pakistan, causing the earlier fixture to be cancelled as well. Fans Applaud India Champions' Patriotism Respect #TeamIndia #IndVsPak — (@_nileshkrsingh_) July 30, 2025 Across social media platforms, fans and former cricketers have hailed the India Champions for prioritizing national interest and standing united against terror. The whole country is proud of you for forfeiting the game against Pakistan in the WCL. Lots of love, Defending Champions! #IndVsPak #PakvInd #WCL25 #WCL — Sanket Bhatt (@ImSSanket) July 30, 2025 'Legends not just on the field, but off it too,' wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter), while another stated, 'Proud of our India Champions. Some things are bigger than the game.' The overwhelming sentiment among fans is one of pride, as they view the boycott as a powerful message against terrorism and a show of solidarity with victims of the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan in Final, India Exit Tournament With India officially out of the tournament, Pakistan Champions will now compete in the WCL 2025 Final on Saturday. While cricket lovers around the world were anticipating a high-voltage clash between the two arch-rivals, many are now turning their support to India's decision as a moral victory.
Dubai Eye
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Dubai Eye
India withdraw from semi-final against Pakistan in veterans' tournament
India have withdrawn from a semi-final clash with Pakistan in a tournament featuring retired players amid tension between the two countries, organisers of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) said on Wednesday. A group match between the two teams was also called off earlier this month in the veterans' competition sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Tickets will be refunded for the semi-final match which was scheduled to take place in Birmingham on Thursday, WCL organisers said in a statement on Instagram, adding that Pakistan will advance to the final. India and Pakistan, who have not played bilateral cricket since 2013, are set to face off in the Asia Cup on September 14.
