Pakistan Champions Owner Addresses Point-Sharing After Match Cancellation

BIRMINGHAM: The highly anticipated game between Pakistan Champions and India Champions in the second season of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025 was canceled on Sunday at Edgbaston. Each team was awarded a single point.

According to reports in the Indian media, the match was declared a no result after the Indian team chose not to participate because of internal disagreements.

The updated standings show that both teams received points, even though the game did not happen.

The decision was made because prominent Indian players like Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, and Shikhar Dhawan reportedly refused to play if former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi was in the lineup or at the stadium.

Kamil Khan, the owner of Pakistan Champions, recently spoke to the media about the issue. He stated that the WCL 2025 tournament will continue as planned.

“All remaining matches will be played. The competition is proceeding according to schedule, and there will be no adjustments. Regarding the semifinals and final, we will make the necessary decisions if we advance to the final rounds,” he stated.

Khan also addressed the distribution of points following the cancellation.

“If we qualify for the final, we will make decisions about that then. We are entitled to those two points for this match, as per the regulations,” he affirmed.

The incident has sparked worry among the wider cricket community, with several ex-players, including Australian pace legend Brett Lee and former Pakistan captain Salman Butt, urging people to keep politics out of sports.

Meanwhile, on the field, the Mohammad Hafeez-led Pakistan Champions started their campaign with a win, defeating England Champions by five runs in the opening match.

Defending a score of 161, the Green Shirts held England to 155-3 in their 20 overs. Sohail Khan bowled the final over effectively, giving up just 10 runs when 16 were required.

Pakistan Champions will play their next match against South Africa Champions on July 25 at Grace Road, Leicester.