WATCH: Shahid Afridi watches on as India Champions refuse to play Pakistan, his previous remarks come back to hurt him

The India Champions team, led by Yuvraj Singh, withdrew from the World Championship of Legends (WCL) semi-final match against Pakistan Champions, citing unwillingness to play the neighbours due to poor relations following the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

The decision left Pakistan Champions' captain Shahid Afridi watching helplessly from the stadium balcony as the Indian team, including players like Suresh Raina and Shikhar Dhawan, departed from the venue.

The India Champions team had previously refused to play against Pakistan Champions in the league stage. They maintained their firm stance for the semi-final as well, choosing to exit the tournament rather than face the Pakistan Champions team.



This came after Afridi's provocative comment: "Pata nahi ab kis muh se khelga par khelega hamare sath hi (Don't know from which face India will play, but they will have to play against us only)."

Afridi's assumption that India Champions would be forced to play due to the knockout nature of the semi-final proved wrong. The Indian team, fresh from their victory against West Indies Champions, chose to maintain their principled stance.



The tournament organisers acknowledged both teams' positions in a statement: "We respect the India Champions' decision to withdraw from the semifinals, 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 of India's withdrawal, Pakistan Champions have automatically advanced to the final of WCL 2025.

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