Tag: WCL 2025

The opening batter of the India Champions, Shikhar Dhawan, has opened up on the possibility of playing arch-rivals Pakistan Champions in the semi-final of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.

Dhawan was asked about the possibility of India playing Pakistan in the WCL semi-final.

“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,” Shikhar Dhawan replied.

The reigning title holders of WCL’s inaugural edition, India Champions, are currently languishing at the bottom of the points table, whereas Pakistan is at the top of the charts with three wins out of four games.

India succumbed to their second defeat on Saturday’s encounter against Australia, despite Shikhar Dhawan scoring 90 off 61 balls.

In contrast, Pakistan Champions outplayed West Indies, continuing their dominant run. Kamran Akmal was the star of the match, rolling back the clock with a sublime ton to help his team secure top spot in the tournament’s points table.

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During Saturday’s tournament action, India suffered their second defeat as Australia successfully chased a formidable 204-run target in the final over.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Champions continued their dominant run, notching their third consecutive win by defeating the West Indies Champions by 49 runs.

Kamran Akmal’s match-winning century and a strong bowling performance led Pakistan to the top of the WCL 2025 points table.

It is noteworthy to mention that the league stage fixture between India and Pakistan was cancelled by the WCL organizers. The much-anticipated Pakistan-India fixture, scheduled for 20 July at Edgbaston, was set to be one of the marquee contests of the WCL 2025.

The announcement of cancellation came via a statement on the tournament’s official social media platforms.

For the unversed, WCL 2025 is currently taking place in England, featuring retired international stars from around the world.

READ: Maxwell, Green star as Australia take 4-0 lead over West Indies in T20I series

LEEDS: Kamran Akmal rolled back the years with a scintillating century as Pakistan Champions outclassed West Indies Champions by 49 runs in their World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 clash at Headingley on Saturday.

Batting first, Pakistan Champions piled up a formidable 200-4, thanks to a breathtaking 113 off just 62 balls by Kamran Akmal.

The veteran wicketkeeper-batter smashed 13 fours and five sixes to anchor the innings after an explosive 65-run opening stand with Sharjeel Khan, who chipped in with a 14-ball 21.

Sohaib Maqsood (17) and skipper Mohammad Hafeez (23 off 18) played supporting roles as Pakistan Champions crossed the 200-run mark.

Asif Ali stayed unbeaten on 10 off 10 in the final overs.

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West Indies Champions struggled to keep up with the asking rate in the chase, managing only 151-7 in their 20 overs.

Chadwick Walton top-scored with a 30-ball 42, while William Perkins and Dwayne Bravo added 30 each.

Ashley Nurse contributed a 25-run cameo, but it was never going to be enough for the West Indies Champions.

Rumman Raees ripped through the top order with a sensational opening spell, grabbing 3-4 in three overs. Aamer Yamin and Sohail Tanvir bagged two wickets apiece to stifle the Windies’ hopes.

The comprehensive win puts Pakistan Champions on top of the WCL 2025 points table with seven points from four matches. West Indies Champions, meanwhile, remain on two points after as many games.

READ: India-Pakistan clash confirmed as Asia Cup 2025 schedule unveiled

LEEDS: Australia Champions pulled off a thrilling four-wicket win against India Champions in a high-octane clash of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 here on Saturday.

Chasing a stiff target of 204, Australia got over the line on the penultimate delivery of the match, with Callum Ferguson sealing the deal by launching Irfan Pathan for a six.

They finished at 207-6 in 19.5 overs, handing India their second straight loss in the tournament.

Ferguson, who walked in with the scoreboard reading 65-4 in the eighth over, turned the game on its head with a match-winning knock of 70 not out from just 38 balls. His innings was laced with five fours and four sixes.

Dan Christian also played a key role in the chase, scoring 39 off 25 deliveries, including five boundaries and a six.

For India Champions, Piyush Chawla was the pick of the bowlers with 3-36, while Harbhajan Singh chipped in with two wickets and Vinay Kumar took one.

Earlier, Australia opted to bowl first but were put under pressure right away as Indian openers Robin Uthappa and Shikhar Dhawan put up a brisk 57-run stand in just five overs.

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However, Dan Christian turned the momentum with a double-strike in the sixth over, removing Uthappa for 37 (21) and Ambati Rayudu for a two-ball duck.

Despite the wickets, Dhawan held one end firm, anchoring the innings with a sublime unbeaten 91 off 60 deliveries.

He found support from Yusuf Pathan, who exploded late in the innings with a fiery 52 not out off just 23 balls.

The duo stitched together a 100-run partnership for the fifth wicket, taking India to a competitive total of 203-4 in their 20 overs.

With this result, Australia Champions climbed to second place on the WCL 2025 points table with two wins in three games.

India Champions, on the other hand, are yet to open their account after two matches.

READ: India-Pakistan clash confirmed as Asia Cup 2025 schedule unveiled

LEICESTER: Umar Amin’s impressive knock, followed by an all-round bowling performance, powered Pakistan Champions to a 31-run victory over South Africa Champions in the ninth fixture of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 here at Grace Road on Friday.

Chasing a daunting 198-run target, South Africa Champions could only score 167-9 in their allocated 20 overs.

In pursuit of the target, the Proteas lost their opening three batters inside seven overs. Hashim Amla (12), JJ Smuts (10), and Henry Davids (6) were removed cheaply as Pakistan Champions reduced them to 42-3.

South Africa continued to lose wickets in the middle, thus without any significant contributions, which left them reeling at 128-8 in 17.3 overs.

However, Morne van Wyk resisted with a valiant knock of 44 runs in quick time to reduce the margin of the defeat. His 20-ball innings featured five fours and two sixes.

For  Pakistan Champions, Sohail Tanvir and Mohammad Hafeez picked up two wickets each.

Earlier, Umar Amin’s 58 off 42 balls and Shoaib Malik’s brisk 46* propelled Pakistan Champions to a strong total.

After being put into bat first in WCL 2025 eighth fixture, Pakistan Champions posted 198-5 in their allocated 20 overs.

Pakistani openers provided a brisk 27-run start before Sharjeel Khan’s departure, who made 19 off 11 balls, with the aid of three fours and a six.

Kamran Akmal scored 17 off 11 balls, striking four boundaries, and was removed in the penultimate over of the powerplay as Pakistan Champions were reduced to 54-2 in 5.3 overs.

South Africa’s Champions fight back with another wicket, that of in-form Mohammad Hafeez, in the eighth over. He was dismissed for eight runs.

However, Umar Amin’s and Shoaib Malik’s imposing  79-run partnership steered the runners-up of the last edition. Both batters batted fluently, taking Pakistan above 150 runs.  Amin’s innings was ended as Pakistan reached 155 runs in the 16th over. The left-hander made 58 runs from 42 balls, striking four boundaries and three sixes.

The Pakistan Champions finished strong, with Shoaib Malik remaining unbeaten on 46 runs off 34 deliveries, which included five fours. Asif Ali added a quickfire 23 runs off just 11 balls, hitting two sixes and two fours, helping his team approach the 200-run mark.

For the South Africa Champions, Dwayne Olivier scalped two wickets, whereas Hardus Viljoen, Wayne Parnell, and JP Duminy picked up one wicket each.

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Playing XIs

South Africa Champions: Hashim Amla, Henry Davids, JJ Smuts, Sarel Erwee, Jean-Paul Duminy, Morne van Wyk (wk), Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso (c), Hardus Viljoen, Duanne Olivier

Pakistan Champions: Kamran Akmal(w), Sharjeel Khan, Umar Amin, Mohammad Hafeez(c), Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Aamer Yamin, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz

READ: PCC Select XI defeat Pakistan Shaheens in second one-day clash

LEICESTER: South Africa Champions have won the toss and opted to bowl first against Pakistan Champions in the ninth fixture of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 here at Grace Road on Friday.

AB De Villiers is not playing today for the South Africa Champions, as Aaron Phangiso has been named the captain of the side.

Pakistan Champions are in third spot in the WCL 2025 points table with one win from two matches, whereas South Africa Champions are topping the chart with three wins out of three games.

Playing XIs

South Africa Champions:  Hashim Amla, Henry Davids, JJ Smuts, Sarel Erwee, Jean-Paul Duminy, Morne van Wyk (wk), Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Aaron Phangiso (c), Hardus Viljoen, Duanne Olivier

Pakistan Champions: Kamran Akmal(w), Sharjeel Khan, Umar Amin, Mohammad Hafeez(c), Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Imad Wasim, Aamer Yamin, Sohail Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz

The ongoing WCL 2025 is contested across four English venues: Edgbaston (Birmingham), County Ground (Northampton), Grace Road (Leicester), and Headingley (Leeds).

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Six teams, India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies, will face off in a round-robin format, with the top four teams qualifying for the WCL 2025 semi-finals.

The ongoing WCL 2025 marks the second installment of the tournament, following the inaugural tournament held in 2024, where the Indian team, led by the legendary Yuvraj Singh, emerged as champions.

READ: Joe Root overtakes Dravid, Kallis to become third-highest Test run scorer

LEICESTER: AB de Villiers jaw-dropping century powered South Africa Champions to a massive win over England Champions in the eighth fixture of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 here at Grace Road on Thursday. 

Chasing a modest target of 153 runs, the South Africa Champions secured victory effortlessly in just 12.2 overs.

In pursuit of the target, South Africa’s Champions De Villiers piled on misery on English bowlers.

He forged an unbeaten 153-run partnership with Hashim Amla to lead his home team in a stellar chase. The right-hander was the primary aggressor while Amla played a supportive role.

The Proteas scored 80 runs by the end of the powerplay, helped by a 21-run over from Liam Plunkett. De Villiers reached his half-century in just 19 balls, while Hashim Amla played cautiously, scoring 14 runs off 17 balls.

The 41-year-old continued to take on England bowlers to the cleaners with South Africa Champions scoring 128 at the halfway mark of the innings. He reached his century off 41 balls with a single on the second ball of the 10th over.

With victory evident, De Villiers continued to charge the bowlers, eventually resulting in an emphatic statement victory for the South African champions.

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AB de Villiers scored 116 runs off just 51 balls, hitting seven sixes and 15 fours. The right-handed batter’s explosive innings was so remarkable that in his 153-run partnership, Hashim Amla could only manage 29 runs off 25 balls.

Earlier, the England Champions set the South Africa Champions a target of 153 runs, thanks to the South Africa Champions’ clinical bowling effort.

For England Champions, Phil Mustard top-scored with 39 off 33 balls with the aid of three fours and a six, whereas skipper Eoin Morgan made 20 from 14 balls, striking two fours and a maximum.

For the South Africa Champions, Imran Tahir and Wayne Parnell took wickets each.

The ongoing WCL 2025 is contested across four English venues: Edgbaston (Birmingham), County Ground (Northampton), Grace Road (Leicester), and Headingley (Leeds).

Six teams, India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies, will face off in a round-robin format, with the top four teams qualifying for the WCL 2025 semi-finals.

The ongoing WCL 2025 marks the second installment of the tournament, following the inaugural tournament held in 2024, where the Indian team, led by the legendary Yuvraj Singh, emerged as champions.

Playing XIs

England: Phil Mustard (wk), Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Ravi Bopara, Tim Ambrose, Samit Patel, Liam Plunkett, Ajmal Shahzad, Stuart Meaker, Dimitri Mascarenhas

South Africa: Jacques Rudolph, Sarel Erwee, AB de Villiers (c), Jean-Paul Duminy, JJ Smuts, Morne van Wyk (wk), Wayne Parnell, Chris Morris, Hardus Viljoen, Duanne Olivier, Imran Tahir

READ: Salman Ali Agha hails team effort after dominant win against Bangladesh

NORTHAMPTON: Chris Lynn’s electrifying 81 off 27 balls powered Australia Champions to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over West Indies Champions in World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 here at the Country Cricket Ground on Wednesday.

Chasing a meagre target of 143 runs in the seventh encounter of WCL 2025, Australia Champions knocked the winning runs in only 9.3 overs for the loss of two wickets.

Australia Champions started briskly in modest chase, smashing 34 in only 3 overs and losing only one wicket in the process. Chris Lynn was the core aggressor while Shaun Marsh was cleaned up by Ashley Nurse for nine.

Following the wicket, Lynn, known for his six-hitting power, tonked West Indies bowlers all around the park. He reached his half-century on just 20 balls. During his power show, Australia accumulated more than 15 in an over with ease.

He was eventually out in the eighth over as Australia’s scorecard read 111. Chris Lynn’s blazing knock featured eight towering sixes and half a dozen fours.

Following his departure, Ben Dunk took charge and smashed 30 off just 9 balls, laced with three sixes to seal a dominant victory for his side.

For West Indies Champions, Nikita Miller and Ashley Nurse picked up one wicket each.

Earlier, Peter Siddle’s three-wicket haul restricted West Indies’ explosive batting line-up from scoring big against Australia Champions.

Put it into bat first, West Indies Champions finished their innings for the loss of eight wickets in their allocated 20 overs.

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Australia Champions capitalized on the decision to bowl first, removing the opener William Perkins (10) only in the second over. However, following an early setback, Dwayne Smith and Chris Gayle partnered for a 36-run stand.

Gayle scored 21 off 15, laced with four boundaries, before getting dismissed once the fielding restrictions were lifted. Soon after, Smith followed him, scoring 22 of 20 deliveries with the help of a six and three fours.

All of a sudden, West Indies Champions were reduced to 56-4 as previous match hero Chadwick Walton departed for a first-ball duck.

Australia Champions continued to strike at regular intervals, which prevented the West Indies’ Champions from reaching an imposing total. Lendl Simmons top-scored with 29 off 28 balls with the aid of two maximums and a four.

For Australia, Peter Siddle was the standout bowler, taking three wickets in his four overs, while Nathan Coulter-Nile scalped two wickets.

The WCL 2025 is currently contested across four English venues: Edgbaston (Birmingham), County Ground (Northampton), Grace Road (Leicester), and Headingley (Leeds).

Six teams, India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies, will face off in a round-robin format, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals.

The ongoing edition marks the second installment of the WCL, following the inaugural tournament held in 2024, where the Indian team, led by the legendary Yuvraj Singh, emerged as champions.

Playing XIs

Australia Champions

Shaun Marsh, Chris Lynn, D Arcy Short, Ben Dunk (wk), Callum Ferguson, Ben Cutting, Daniel Christian, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Steve O’Keefe, Brett Lee (c), Peter Siddle

West Indies Champions

Chris Gayle (c), Dwayne Smith, Lendl Simmons, Chadwick Walton (wk), William Perkins, Kieron Pollard, Ashley Nurse, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Nikita Miller, Shannon Gabriel

READ: Fakhar, Abbas make gains as Pakistan players suffer T20I rankings slump

Former South Africa stalwart AB de Villiers has named former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif in his all-time World XI, revealed on the sidelines of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.

Currently in England for the World Championship of Legends, where he represents the South African champions, De Villiers unveiled his all-time playing XI, which features both current and former players.

The 41-year-old started with an opening pair of compatriot Greame Smith and former Australia explosive batter Matthew Hayden.

He placed Australia legend Ricky Ponting at the crucial No. 03 spot and India batting icon Virat Kohli on the No. 04 position. Furthermore, he picked two more batters from the fabulous four, Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, at No 05 and 06, respectively.

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At No. 07, he picked India’s World Cup-winning captain MS Dhoni as a wicket-keeper.

In the bowling lineup, he started with former Australia left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson. Notably, he selected Pakistan’s Mohammad Asif, known for his swing bowling.

De Villiers faced Mohammad Asif, on couple of occasions and praise him for his outstanding bowling. The righ-arm pacer played for Pakistan in 23 Tests, 38 ODIs, and 11 T20Is

 

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Lastly, he included the legendary spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and late Shane Warne, with Glenn McGrath interestingly selected as a 12th man.

A day earlier, the batting maestro demonstrated his class against India Champions, propelling South Africa Champions to a comprehensive 88-run victory.

Put into bat first, South Africa posted an imposing total of 208 runs, thanks to AB de Villiers’ 61 off 31 balls, striking three fours and four maximums.

In pursuit of the target, India Champions could only manage to score 111-9 in 18.2 overs in a rain-affected game, eventually losing the fixture according to the Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) method.

AB De Villiers World XI

Graeme Smith, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, MS Dhoni, Mitchell Johnson, Mohammad Asif, Muttiah Muralitharan, and Shane Warne.

READ: Hashim Amla picks his top three batting icons of all time

NORTHAMPTON: AB de Villiers’ classy knock and Aaron Phangiso’s spin magic powered South Africa Champions to a massive 88-run (DLS) win over India Champions in the sixth match of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 here at the County Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

Chasing a daunting 209-run target, the reigning champions crumbled under pressure and could manage to score 111-9 in 18.2 overs in a rain-hit game.

South Africa Champions struck early, leaving India Champions reeling with four wickets down inside powerplay.

Wayne Parnell started the proceedings for the Proteas, bowling an outstanding two-over spell in which he gave nothing and took two wickets.

Robin Uthappa (2), Shikhar Dhawan (1), Suresh Raina (1`6) and Ambati Rayadu went without scoring as they were reduced to 28-4 in 5.3 overs.

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The wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals for the India Champions, with none of the middle order batters scoring significantly except Stuart Binny, who top-scored with his 37* off 30 balls.

For South Africa, Aaron Phangiso was the standout bowler, scalping three wickets in his quota of four overs, while Imran Tahir and Wayne Parnell each picked up two wickets.

Earlier, AB de Villiers’ powerful knock propelled South Africa Champions to an imposing total.

Put into bat first, South Africa Champions posted 208-6 in their allocated 20 overs.

The Proteas opener provided a solid start as they scored 35 runs in 4 overs. Hashim Amla looked as elegant as ever with his 22 off 19 balls, laced with crisp four boundaries.

Jack Rudolph (24 off 20 balls), who looked in delicate touch, forged a brief little stand with Sarel Erwee (15 off 12) to bring the total to 66. However, India Champions roared back with back-to-back wickets in the eighth over as both of the set batters went back to the pavilion.

Consequently, the arrival of AB de Villiers always instilled fear in the opposition as he set the tone for South Africa to post an imposing total.

Meanwhile, India Champions struck on regular intervals in the middle overs, but De Villiers’ 63* off 30 balls, peppered with four maximums and three fours, took the rainbow nation over the 200-run mark.

For India Champions, Yusuf Pathan and Piyush Chawla took two wickets.

READ: WCL 2025: Walton, Edwards star as West Indies defeat England

NORTHAMPTON: Chadwick Walton’s explosive 83-run followed by Fidel Edwards’ four-wicket haul sealed a 10-run victory for West Indies Champions over England Champions in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 here at the County Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

Chasing a challenging 165-run total, England Champions crumbled under pressure and were bowled out for 154 on the final ball of the game.

England Champions had a poor start in pursuit of the chase, losing two wickets on the first two balls of their innings. Sir Alastair Cook and Moeen Ali were dismissed for golden ducks.

The situation worsened further when Fidel Edwards sent Ian Bell and skipper Eoin Morgan packing for five and nine runs, respectively, as the scorecard read 19-4 in 4.4 overs.

With a top-order collapse, came Ravi Bopara, who, alongside experienced Samit Patel, rescued England Champions from a precarious position.

The duo batted cautiously, bringing the score to 59 runs at the halfway stage of the innings until Bopara’s dismissal. He was stumped after scoring 24 off 22 deliveries.

Meanwhile, Patel continued until the 15th over and reached his half-century. With England Champions on 108 in 15.3 overs, the match was evenly poised, but Shannon Gabriel removed the set batter to dent his team’s hopes.

Following his removal, there were no significant contributions from the lower order as England Champions were bundled out in the last over.

For West Indies Champions, Fidel Edwards starred with the ball, taking four wickets in three overs, while Dwayne Bravo and Shannon Gabriel shared two scalps apiece.

Earlier, Chadwick Walton’s explosive 83 and Kieron Pollard’s quick-fire 30-run cameo took West Indies Champions to a strong total.

Put into bat first, West Indies Champions posted 164-9 in their allocated 20 overs.

England Champions capitalized on the decision early, removing the top-order batters inside the first four overs. Opener Dwayne Smith was removed for a golden duck in the opening over, while Lendl Simmons could only manage to score four runs.

However, following early hiccups, veteran batter Chris Gayle and Chadwick Walton forged a 44-run partnership. Chris Gayle was removed for 21 off 19 balls with the aid of a six and two boundaries as England Champions reduced them to 61-3 in nine overs.

Incoming batter William Perkins’ (5) short stay at the crease was also ended in the 10th over, with West Indies reeling at 74-4. However, Kieron Pollard and Chadwick Walton formed a crucial 80-run stand in quick time to lift them out of trouble.

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The duo’s partnership was enough to take West Indies Champions to 154 in 16.4 overs. Pollard struck two sixes and three fours for his 30-run knock, while Walton’s 83 off 50 balls featured five towering sixes and eight fours.

Despite the duo’s formidable stand, the West Indies Champions lost their way in the last few overs, losing four wickets in quick succession as the England Champions restricted them from posting a formidable total.

For England Champions, Stuart Meaker was the standout bowler, taking four wickets in his four overs while giving away only 24 runs.

The WCL 2025 will be contested across four English venues: Edgbaston (Birmingham), County Ground (Northampton), Grace Road (Leicester), and Headingley (Leeds).

Six teams, India, Pakistan, Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies, will face off in a round-robin format, with the top four teams qualifying for the WCL 2025 semi-finals.

The upcoming edition marks the second installment of the WCL, following the inaugural tournament held in 2024, where the Indian team, led by the legendary Yuvraj Singh, emerged as champions.

READ: Ricky Ponting backs Shubman Gill’s aggression amid Lord’s spat