Tag: WCL 2025

Former Australian wicket-keeper Ben Dunk has expressed his disappointment after the high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan Champions was called off in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.

The much-anticipated Pakistan-India fixture, scheduled for Sunday at Edgbaston, was set to be one of the marquee contests of the WCL 2025.

However, the match between the arch-rivals was unexpectedly cancelled, leaving fans and cricketing circles disheartened.

Speaking at a media interaction following the cancellation, Dunk emphasised the power of cricket to bring people together.

“As a cricket lover myself, I love all forms of cricket, the more cricket, the better,” he said.

“Everyone has the right to pick and choose what they watch or support, and I respect everyone’s point of view. I hope that, going forward, sports can be a uniting factor.”

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The cancellation sparked a wave of reactions online and offline, with many former cricketers also weighing in.

Among them was Brett Lee, who had earlier urged for unity and sportsmanship to rise above politics during the tournament.

“I love India, I love Pakistan. So I hope they can reach a resolution where they appreciate each other,” Lee stated.

“But most importantly, we are here for a tournament. What happened last night is unfortunate, but we move forward.”

The World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 is currently taking place in England, featuring retired international stars from around the world.

READ: Pakistan likely to include THIS player in Playing XI for second Bangladesh T20I

Former South Africa opener Hashim Amla has named some of the greatest batters he has admired across generations, picking a blend of legends he grew up watching and modern stars who have left an impact on world cricket.

Currently in England for the World Championship of Legends, where he is representing the South Africa Champions, Amla reflected on the players who inspired him growing up and the ones he considers all-time greats.

“There are so many over the years,” Amla said in an interview. “Growing up, my three favourite players were Brian Lara, Steve Waugh, and Jacques Kallis, especially Jacques, being a South African.”

When asked to choose three modern-era greats, Amla didn’t hesitate to name Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Sir Vivian Richards.

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“Maybe three other names: you’ve got Virat (Kohli) in recent times, AB de Villiers, and I’d say one more old one – Sir Vivian Richards,” he added.

Hashim Amla, one of the finest batters of all time, represented South Africa in 124 Tests, 181 ODIs, and 44 T20Is from 2004 to 2019. During his career, he accumulated a total of 18,672 international runs.

His remarkable score of 311 not out against England at The Oval held the record for the highest individual Test score by a South African until recently, when Wiaan Mulder surpassed it with an innings of 367 not out against Zimbabwe.

In ODIs, he scored 8,113 runs at an average of 49.46, including a national record 27 centuries. He bowed out of international cricket after the 2019 World Cup.

READ: Former Pakistan captain slams India, says ‘boycott ICC matches too’

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has criticised India Champions for pulling out of the much-awaited clash against the Green Shirts in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.

The high-profile veterans’ encounter between the arch-rivals, scheduled to take place on July 20 at Edgbaston, was called off after multiple Indian players reportedly opted out due to political tensions between the two nations.

Reacting strongly on his YouTube channel, Salman Butt expressed disappointment over India’s decision and urged them to maintain the same approach across all competitions.

“The whole world is watching. What message are you sending to the global cricket community and fans?” Butt said.

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“If you won’t play in this tournament due to political reasons, then take a firm stance, don’t play against Pakistan in the World Cup or any ICC event either.”

“Don’t play against us at any level, not even the Olympics. I’d love to see that level of conviction.”

Salman Butt also questioned the internal decision-making process behind India’s withdrawal, implying that a minority may have influenced the entire squad.

“Who’s actually making these calls?” he asked.

“Is it just four or five individuals who decided not to play, and now everyone else feels pressured to follow suit? This mindset is baffling.”

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BIRMINGHAM: Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has shared his thoughts following the cancellation of the high-stakes encounter between India vs. Pakistan Champions at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.

The much-awaited encounter between arch-rivals was officially cancelled just hours before the two teams were set to meet at Edgbaston on Sunday.

The organisers made the announcement through a statement posted on the tournament’s official social media platforms, confirming the cancellation of what was expected to be a marquee clash.

“We at WCL have always cherished and loved cricket, and our only aim has been to give fans some good, happy moments,” the statement read.

Now, Shahid Afridi has stated that they came to England to play cricket, noting that politics should be kept away from cricket.

“There is no fault of mine in this, and I have always advocated keeping politics away from cricket. We have come here to play cricket, and we must move forward,” he said.

“Nations that aim to achieve something in the world focus on progress and do not get bogged down by trivial matters,” Afridi added.

Former all-rounder also questioned the India Champions for not facing the Pakistan Champions, despite being aware of the tournament’s scheduling.

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“I would just like to say that one should be a good ambassador for their country, not a source of embarrassment.

We are here to play cricket. If you were not willing to play against Pakistan, you should have refused before coming here. Yet, you came, participated in practice sessions, and then on the very day, everything unfolded like this,” he said.

Shahid Afridi noted that if he had known the situation, he would not have come to the ground while emphasizing that the game is bigger than any of the players.

“If I had known that the match was being cancelled because of me, I wouldn’t have even gone to the stadium.”

“Cricket is bigger than all of us. The game comes first, even bigger than Shahid Afridi. Don’t bring politics into the sport. If someone doesn’t want to play, then let them play their own game elsewhere. Cricket is far greater than all this,” he concluded.

For the unversed, the ongoing edition marks the second installment of the WCL, following the inaugural tournament held in 2024, in which India and Pakistan competed in the final.

READ: Pakistan Champions owner reacts to WCL calling off India-Pakistan clash

BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan has responded to the cancellation of the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan Champions fixture at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025.

The much-awaited encounter between arch-rivals was officially cancelled just hours before the two teams were set to meet at Edgbaston on Sunday.

The organisers made the announcement through a statement posted on the tournament’s official social media platforms, confirming the cancellation of what was expected to be a marquee clash.

“We at WCL have always cherished and loved cricket, and our only aim has been to give fans some good, happy moments,” the statement read.

Now, on behalf of the Pakistan Champions, owner Kamil Khan has expressed his disappointment over the cancellation of the WCL marquee clash between Pak vs India legends.

“On behalf of Pakistan Champions, we express our deep disappointment over WCL’s decision to call off the match against India. This decision not only undermines the spirit of the game but has let down cricket fans across the globe,” the statement reads.

“We believe cricket should rise above and transcend political differences. Sport has the unique power to unite, and our participation in this tournament is rooted in a commitment to peace, positivity, and the genuine spirit of the game,” it added.

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The owner of Pakistan Champions expressed confidence in continuing to represent the country with dignity and integrity.

“Despite this setback, we will continue with the same passion, discipline, and professionalism that define our team. We remain proud ambassadors of our country and are committed to representing Pakistan with honour and integrity.”

The Pakistan Champions owner also acknowledged the tournament’s organisers’ challenging position on the Pak vs India legends match, expressing gratitude for their efforts.

“Finally, we appreciate the difficult position the tournament organisers have been placed in during this unfortunate development and would like to extend our sincere gratitude to them for their tireless efforts in trying to resolve the situation and uphold the integrity of the tournament,” it concluded.

For the unversed, the ongoing edition marks the second installment of the WCL, following the inaugural tournament held in 2024, in which India and Pakistan competed in the final.

READ: Emon, Taskin star as Bangladesh thump Pakistan in T20I series opener

BIRMINGHAM: The highly anticipated India vs. Pakistan Champions fixture at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 has officially been called off, just hours before the two sides were set to meet at Edgbaston on Sunday.

The organisers made the announcement through a statement posted on the tournament’s official social media platforms, confirming the cancellation of what was expected to be a marquee clash.

“We at WCL have always cherished and loved cricket, and our only aim has been to give fans some good, happy moments,” the statement read.

“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.

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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 development comes amid growing tension surrounding the fixture. Indian media reports earlier claimed that five prominent Indian cricketers had raised objections to former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi’s inclusion in the tournament, threatening to withdraw from the match if he was part of the squad or even entered the stadium.

According to reports, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, and Shikhar Dhawan conveyed their concerns to the organisers. Harbhajan and Yusuf are said to have already pulled out, while Dhawan reportedly confirmed his withdrawal through a post on his Instagram story.

READ: South Africa edge West Indies in bowl-out to kick off WCL 2025

BIRMINGHAM: South Africa Champions began their World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 campaign with a thrilling bowl-out win over West Indies Champions after rain and a nail-biting finish left the match tied at Edgbaston on Saturday.

In a contest reduced to 11 overs per side, AB de Villiers opted to bowl first after winning the toss. West Indies posted 79/5, led by Lendl Simmons’ 28 off 21 balls and a steady unbeaten 27 from wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton.

Aaron Phangiso was the standout performer with the ball, returning figures of 2/19 in his three overs, while Duanne Olivier, JJ Smuts and Hardus Viljoen chipped in with a wicket each.

South Africa’s DLS-adjusted target was set at 81. Despite contributions from Sarel Erwee (27 off 18) and JP Duminy (25* off 12), the Proteas fell one run short, managing 80/6 as Fidel Edwards successfully defended nine runs in the final over.

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The tied encounter led to an unusual bowl-out instead of a super over.

Proteas once again won the toss and chose to bowl first in the shootout. However, they missed their first three attempts, with Phangiso, Chris Morris and Viljoen failing to hit the stumps.

JJ Smuts finally broke the deadlock on the fourth attempt, followed by Wayne Parnell, who delivered a perfect yorker to make it two.

West Indies, needing at least two hits to stay alive, couldn’t strike once in their five chances, handing South Africa Champions a 2-0 win in the bowl-out and a dramatic start to their WCL 2025 campaign.

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BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan Champions beat England Champions by five runs in the opening match of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, here on Friday at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground.

Chasing a 161-run target, England Champions fell short despite Ian Bell’s classy half-century.

England Champions started strong in pursuit of the target as they scored 32-0 in the first five overs. However, Pakistan Champions fought back with key wicket of experienced Alastair Cook.

Following the wicket, Phil Mustard forged a brief stand with James Vince, bringing the score to 55 until the ninth over.

Aamer Yamin provided Pakistan Champions with a much-needed breakthrough, clearing up James Vince (7), reducing the home side to 55-2.

With two wickets down in the first half of the innings, the experience of Ian Bell and Phil Mustard helped lift England Champions out of trouble as the duo scored quickly, bringing the score to 94-2 in the 14th over.

Phil Mustard reached his half century in the process while Bell kept rotating the strike, ensuring that the required runs did not go up.

The stand was eventually broken in the 16th over with Sohail Tanvir removing trapped Mustard in front for a well-made 58 with England Champions requiring 52 runs from 24 balls.

However, Ian Bell stood in Pakistan Champions’ way, pairing up with Eoin Morgan to bring down the equation to 30 required from two overs.

With 16 required in the final over, Sohail Khan bowled brilliantly and gave up only 10 runs despite two set and experienced batters at the crease.

Earlier, Mohammad Hafeez’s gusty half century and Aamer Yamin’s cameo took Pakistan Champions to 160-9.

Put into bat first, Pakistan Champions posted 160-9 in their allocated 20 overs, thanks to Mohammad Hafeez’s anchoring 54 off 34 balls.

The right-handed batter rolled back the clock with his knock, showcasing elegant shots all around the ground.

Pakistan Champions did not have the best of a start as they lost their openers inside the powerplay. Sharjeel Khan was caught in the fourth over, scoring 12 off 15 balls with the help of a six, while Ryan Sidebottom dismissed Kamran Akmal (8) in the next over.

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England Champions further piled misery on Pakistan Champions as they removed experienced Umar Amin and Shoaib Malik in quick succession.

As a result, Pakistan Champions were reduced to 49-4 in nine overs.

Following the shambolic display from the top-order, skipper Mohammad Hafeez partnered with Asif Ali in a bid to steady the Green Shirts’ innings. Both batters batted cautiously until the 13th over, which ended with Asif Ali’s (15) dismissal.

Pakistan were reduced to 88-6 in 14 overs; however, Hafeez and Yamin forged a brief partnership, bringing the score to 121 before the former’s dismissal.

With 121-7  in 17 overs, the total of more than 150 was looking extremely difficult until Aamer Yamin’s quick-fire cameo lifted them out of the trouble.

The right-handed batter remained unbeaten with 27* off 13 balls with the aid of two sixes in the penultimate over.

For the England Champions, Liam Plunkett and Chris Tremlett picked up two wickets each.

Earlier, England Champions won the toss and opted to bowl first against Pakistan Champions.

Pakistan Champions Playing XI

Mohammad Hafeez (c), Shoaib Malik, Umar Amin, Sharjeel Khan, Kamran Akmal (WK), Asif Ali, Aamer Yamin, Wahab Riaz, Rumman Raees, Sohail Tanvir, Sohail Khan,

England Champions Playing XI

Eoin Morgan (c), Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, James Vince, Liam Plunkett, Chris Tremlett, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Tim Ambrose, Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Meaker, Phil Mustard (WK)

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BIRMINGHAM: England Champions have won the toss and opted to bowl first against Pakistan Champions in the opening match of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, here on Friday at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground.

England Champions captain Eoin Morgan decided to bowl first in the opening encounter of the second edition of the league.

Pakistan Champions Playing XI

Mohammad Hafeez (c), Shoaib Malik, Umar Amin, Sharjeel Khan, Kamran Akmal (WK), Asif Ali, Aamer Yamin, Wahab Riaz, Rumman Raees, Sohail Tanvir, Sohail Khan,

England Champions Playing XI

Eoin Morgan (c), Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, James Vince, Liam Plunkett, Chris Tremlett, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Tim Ambrose, Ryan Sidebottom, Stuart Meaker, Phil Mustard (WK)

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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 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.

During the inaugural season, Younis Khan-led Pakistan were among the standout teams, producing dominant performances throughout the group stage.

Despite a spirited effort, Pakistan Champions fell just short in the final against arch-rivals India. After setting a target of 157, they couldn’t prevent India from chasing it down with five wickets and five balls to spare.

READ: Sarfaraz Ahmed replaced as Pakistan Champions’ complete squad revealed for WCL 2025

BIRMINGHAM: Former captain and wicket-keeper Sarfaraz Ahmed has been substituted in the Pakistan Champions squad for the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, scheduled to begin today.

The Pakistan Champions revealed their much-awaited complete squad just before their opening game against the England Champions, set to begin at the iconic Edgbaston Cricket Ground.

The squad, revealed on the franchise’s social media handles, underwent notable changes, with former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed being replaced by Kamran Akmal.

Among other notable changes, the middle-order batter Fawad Alam was added to the squad as a surprise pick.

Earlier this year, the Pakistan Champions had announced that Sarfaraz Ahmed would represent them in the second edition of the WCL.

 

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For the unversed, former captain Mohammad Hafeez will lead the side in his WCL debut season, taking over from Younis Khan, who is not part of the squad this time around. Another senior name missing from the lineup is Misbah-ul-Haq.

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Meanwhile, the core of the team, including Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, and Wahab Riaz, remains intact.

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 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.

During the inaugural season, Younis Khan-led Pakistan were among the standout teams, producing dominant performances throughout the group stage.

Despite a spirited effort, Pakistan Champions fell just short in the final against arch-rivals India. After setting a target of 157, they couldn’t prevent India from chasing it down with five wickets and five balls to spare.

Pakistan Champions squad for WCL 2025

Mohammad Hafeez (c), Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Umar Amin, Sharjeel Khan, Kamran Akmal (WK), Shahid Afridi, Asif Ali, Aamer Yamin, Wahab Riaz, Rumman Raees, Sohail Tanvir, Sohail Khan, Fawad Alam

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