The organisers of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 cancelled the India vs Pakistan match after facing strong public backlash. The match was scheduled for Sunday, July 20, at Edgbaston, Birmingham. On Sunday, the WCL organisers released a statement confirming the cancellation.
They apologised to Indian fans for hurting public sentiments. The game between former players from both nations created widespread outrage on social media, especially after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives. People across the country called for a complete boycott of Pakistan in sports and cultural events.
EaseMyTrip Refuses Association with Pakistan Matches
EaseMyTrip, one of the main sponsors of WCL 2025, issued a strong statement after the match was announced. The company said, “Despite entering into a 5-year sponsorship agreement with the World Championship of Legends (WCL) two years ago, our stance has always been clear—EaseMyTrip will not be associated with or participate in any WCL match involving Pakistan.
We proudly continue to support the India Champions and stand firmly by our team.” The statement added that the company informed WCL of this position earlier and will not take part in any event featuring Pakistan.
Public Anger Grows After Pahalgam Terror Attack
Public anger increased following the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists. The news of Indian legends playing against Pakistan led to massive outrage on social media. Many users posted messages asking Indian players to boycott the match. EaseMyTrip further said, “However, as a matter of principle, we do not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan.
This position was communicated unambiguously to the WCL team from the beginning. EaseMyTrip supports Team India, but will not engage in any match featuring Pakistan. Let’s bring the cup home. Bharat First. Always,” the statement concluded.
Indian Cricketers Withdraw from Match
Several former Indian cricketers, including Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, and Shikhar Dhawan, pulled out of the scheduled match against Pakistan. The withdrawals happened on Saturday, shortly before the cancellation. Shikhar Dhawan also posted a statement on X (formerly Twitter), stating that he had already informed the organisers on May 11 that he would not play against Pakistan.
Earlier this year, Dhawan and former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi had a heated exchange online after Afridi made negative comments about the Indian Army following the Pahalgam terror attack.
WCL organisers explained that they initially planned the India vs Pakistan match after learning that Pakistan’s hockey team would be visiting India. However, after the strong reaction from the public and the withdrawal of several top Indian players, the organisers cancelled the match.
The WCL management stated that they respected the public mood and acted accordingly.
Must Read: Bharat First’: EaseMyTrip Reiterates Stance Against Matches Involving Pakistan
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
