Birmingham: The organisers of the World Championships of Legends have called off the semifinal clash between the Indian Champions and the Pakistani Champions after the Indian players refused to play against Pakistan.
The Indians, who had started the tournament by forfeiting their league match against Pakistan because of the country’s support of terrorists and its role in the Pahalgam terror attack, pulled out of the game owing to the tremendous pressure and sentiments against the neighbouring country and conveyed their decision to the organisers on Wednesday.
India Champions had reached the semifinal after defeating the West Indies Champions in their previous match.
“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,” the organisers informed in a statement on Wednesday.
“As a result, Pakistan Champions will advance to the final,” the statement said.
The organisers of WCL said, though they have always believed in the power of sport to bring about positive change in the world, they realise that “public sentiment must always be respected — after all, everything we do is for our audience”.
India Champions have players like Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Yousuf Pathan, all of whom had refused to play against Pakistan Champions on Wednesday.
Earlier, several Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, had voiced their refusal to face Pakistan in Birmingham earlier this month. The organisers eventually cancelled the India Champions vs Pakistan Champions group stage match, and tensions now appear to have spilt over into the knockout stage.
Meanwhile, the Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions have scripted a sensational turnaround on the field. After languishing at the bottom of the table with three defeats in their first four games, they bounced back stunningly on Tuesday to crush the West Indies Champions by chasing 145 in just 13.2 overs, after a fiery 21-ball fifty from Stuart Binny.
(IANS)
