Birmingham, July 31, 2025: World Championship of Legends (WCL) owner Harshit Tomar has disclosed that several members of the India Champions squad were eager to face arch-rivals Pakistan Champions, despite the team’s controversial decision to withdraw from both scheduled fixtures during the ongoing second edition of the tournament.
The much-anticipated clash between the two teams, initially scheduled for July 20, was called off just hours before it was due to start after reported opposition from several Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, and Yuvraj Singh. As a result, both teams were awarded a point each.
The rivalry was reignited when Pakistan Champions, last season’s runners-up, topped the league stage, while India Champions secured fourth place, setting up a semifinal showdown. However, that knockout clash was also abandoned, once again due to the Indian side’s refusal to play, citing “public sentiments”.
As a result, Pakistan Champions progressed directly to the final, where they will face the winner of the second semifinal between South Africa and Australia, scheduled later today.
Speaking in an interview with an Indian journalist prior to the semi-final cancellation, Harshit Tomar revealed that some Indian players had expressed a strong desire to play and win against Pakistan in the league-stage encounter.
“I won’t take names, but some players said, ‘Man… we wanted to beat them. We wanted to give them a strong reply’. A few even wanted to dedicate the win to the nation,” said Tomar.
“A sportsperson’s way of expressing patriotism is by performing and winning on the field.”
However, he acknowledged that others were reluctant, citing the sensitivities of Indian public opinion.
“Some were against playing because of the masses, and the masses are right. Their emotions are valid, and we must respect that,” he added.
Tomar clarified that the decision to withdraw from both matches was collective, not taken by any individual player, though he admitted the communication could have been handled better.
“It was a collective decision, but yes, it could have been communicated in a better way — especially by the team, rather than any single individual,” he said.
The India Champions’ withdrawals have sparked debate across the cricketing world, with fans and commentators divided over whether sporting events should be affected by political or national sentiments.
