NEW DELHI: The high-voltage semi-final clash between arch-rivals India Champions and Pakistan Champions in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) has been officially called off, with Pakistan advancing directly to the final, tournament organisers confirmed on Wednesday.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In an official statement, the WCL said: "We respect the India Champions' decision to withdraw from the semi-finals, and we equally respect the Pakistan Champions' readiness to compete. Taking all factors into consideration, the match between the India Champions and the Pakistan Champions has been called off. As a result, Pakistan Champions will advance to the final."
Pakistan will now face the winner of the second semi-final between South Africa Champions and Australia Champions.
Earlier, TimesofIndia.com reported that the Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions had refused to play the semi-final match against Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed several innocent lives. India had also boycotted their group-stage match against Pakistan earlier in the tournament.
The Indian team, comprising cricketing greats such as Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, and Yusuf Pathan, took a unified stand prioritising national sentiment.
An insider from the Indian camp told TimesofIndia.com on condition of anonymity: "We are not playing against Pakistan. Our country and nation will always be at the top for us, and then anything. India ke liye kuch bhi. We are proud members of the Indian team. We have struggled and worked hard to put the Indian flag on our shirts, and we earned it. We will never let our country down, no matter what. Bharat Mata ki jai."
With India standing firm on their position, the defending champions will miss out on the WCL final this season.
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