India Champions firm on stance, set to boycott WCL 2025 semifinal against Pakistan: Reports
No matter how crucial, the stakes at the World Championship of Legends have not risen high enough to convince India to play against Pakistan. The defending champions at WCL 2025, India Champions, were scheduled to open their campaign against Pakistan Champions. However, many players of the India Champions team, including Shikhar Dhawan and Harbhajan Singh, pulled out of the fixture. Ultimately, WCL called off the India vs Pakistan match and apologised for hurting public sentiments. Now, the season has reached the knockout stage and the arch-rivals have set their semifinal clash against each other. However, if latest reports are to be believed, the India vs Pakistan WCL 2025 semifinal is set to meet a similar fate as the campaign opener.
India Champions set to boycott the India vs Pakistan WCL 2025 semifinal
As India Champions treaded their run-up to the WCL 2025 semifinals, Shikhar Dhawan was asked whether he would play against Pakistan if India drew the table-toppers in the knockout clash. Dhawan slammed the possibility sharply, explaining that if he boycotted the campaign opener, he would do it again ahead. The scenario pointed out in the query has shaped up, as an India vs Pakistan clash has been slated at the WCL 2025 semifinal. However, no matter how high the stage, the Indian side is not keen on changing their stance against Pakistan.
The heinous Pahalgam terror attack earlier this year, followed by a stand-off between India and Pakistan, damaged their already sour relations further. The sentiment around the India vs Pakistan clash, once perceived as one of the most hyped-up cricket rivalries, has transformed ever since. The general Indian fans cannot see the point in entertaining the terror-harboring state in any capacity, citing that terrorism and sports can't run parallel. The same sentiment has also cast a shadow on the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, where India and Pakistan have been placed in the same group.
For the matter immediately ahead, the India vs Pakistan WCL 2025 semifinal is likely to be called off. India Champions have their plans well set, boycotting the fixture against Pakistan. Earlier, one of the WCL sponsors, EaseMyTrip, announced pulling out of the India vs Pakistan game. The EaseMyTrip founder noted that terrorism and sports cannot co-exist, hailing India Champions for their performance so far but abandoning the semifinal fixture. It remains to be seen how WCL manages its way ahead if the India vs Pakistan semifinal is canceled, the most likely scenario.
