Islamabad, Aug 1, 2025: Several key players from the India Champions squad have reportedly declined to play in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 semi-final against long-time rivals Pakistan Champions, a match that could see cricket icon Shahid Afridi return to the field.
Despite earlier withdrawing from a group-stage game against Pakistan Champions, the reigning titleholders made an unexpected leap into the knockout phase by crushing West Indies Champions — a result that pushed them ahead of England Champions on net run rate.
With that dramatic finish, India Champions secured the fourth spot in the table, setting up a semi-final faceoff with the top-ranked Pakistan Champions, who tallied nine points from five games. However, right after the fixture was confirmed, doubts began to surface again regarding India Champions participation in this much-anticipated encounter.
Recent reports from an Indian news agency reveal that at least five prominent India Champions cricketers — including captain Yuvraj Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan — are unwilling to compete against Pakistan Champions, allegedly due to ongoing political strains and national sentiments.
READ MORE: Shahid Afridi to Lead Pakistan Champions in WCL 2025
The situation follows earlier remarks from opening batter Shikhar Dhawan, who maintained his refusal to face Pakistan in a knockout setting. Following India narrow loss to Australia, Dhawan was questioned about the potential semi-final clash during a post-match briefing.
Appearing visibly irritated, Dhawan responded sharply, “You’re asking this question at the wrong time and place — you shouldn’t have asked it. And even if I didn’t play earlier, I still won’t play now.”
As the WCL 2025 showdown approaches, fans await clarity on whether this possible rematch — potentially featuring legendary players like Shahid Afridi — will go ahead or be overshadowed by off-field tensions.
