India Vs Pakistan WCL 2025 Called Off After Multiple Indian Players Withdraw From Playing
India vs Pakistan WCL 2025 match canceled after multiple Indian players withdraw. Organizers cite emotional backlash; full ticket refunds issued. Knockout clash still possible later in tournament.
The much anticipated game of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) has been cancelled after many Indian players have withdrawn their names from playing against Pakistan. Shikhar Dhawan posted about him opting out from the match against Pakistan. And according to some reports multiple Indian superstars like Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan have also refused to take part in the match.
Statement From WCL
The official account of WCL posted an update regarding the match and wrote,
“Dear All, 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,” WCL organisers said in a statement.
Dear all , pic.twitter.com/ViIlA3ZrLl
— World Championship Of Legends (@WclLeague) July 19, 2025
“But maybe in the process, we ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions. 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.Hence, we have decided to call off the India vs 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,” the statement read.
Statement From Edgbaston Stadium
The official handle of Edgbaston Stadium also posted an update on its X handle which reads, “The event organisers of WCL have confirmed that tomorrow’s match between India and Pakistan (Sunday 20th July at 16.30) has been cancelled. Please do not attend as the stadium will be closed.
All ticket holders will receive a full refund, please see below for further details.”
The post also had an image with a message saying, “The Event Organisers of WCL Have Confirmed That Tomorrow's Match Between India and Pakistan (Sunday 20th July at 16:30) Has Been Cancelled. Please Do Not Attend as the Stadium Will Be Closed.
The event organisers of WCL have confirmed that tomorrow’s match between India and Pakistan (Sunday 20th July at 16.30) has been cancelled. Please do not attend as the stadium will be closed.
— Edgbaston Stadium (@Edgbaston) July 19, 2025
All ticket holders will receive a full refund, please see below for further details. pic.twitter.com/q5A0DOg356
All Ticket Holders Will Receive a Full Refund, Please See Below for Further Details. WCL Have Confirmed That the Rest of the Tournament Will Continue as Scheduled.
Refund Details
Refunds Will Be Made Automatically to the Purchaser Only, via the Original Payment Method Refunding to a Debit or Credit Card. Please Allow 30 Days for Your Refund to Be Processed. If You Have Hospitality Booked, a Refund Will Be Made for the Ticket Value Included in Your Package (as per Above).
Anger On Afridi's Statement On Pehalgam Attack
Amidst all this the statement of former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has got attention on social media in which he said that India carried out the Pehalgam terrorist attack on its citizens. In the statement he said, “The terrorists continued to kill people in Pahalgam for an hour, and not a single Indian soldier out of 8 lakh showed up. But when they did, they blamed Pakistan," Afridi told local reporters.
"India carries out terrorism itself, kills its own people, and then puts the blame on Pakistan," he said.
There was a lot of outrage before the match in India social media users. Meanwhile, all eyes are on the tournament's progression, as there's a strong possibility that India and Pakistan could clash again in the knockout stages.
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