India vs Pakistan WCL match called off after backlash; Here’s what we know so far

The much-anticipated India vs Pakistan fixture in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) has been officially called off following widespread outrage over its timing and context. The decision comes months after the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, prompting public anger and player withdrawals. Sponsor EaseMyTrip also issued a firm statement distancing itself from any match involving Pakistan, while organisers apologised for “hurting sentiments” and confirmed the cancellation.

EaseMyTrip clarified its position following the cancellation of the match in the World Championship of Legends (WCL), stating that the company has never supported any fixture involving Pakistan and will not do so in the future.

“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,” the company said in a statement on X.

“We proudly continue to support the India Champions and stand firmly by our team. 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,” it added.

The India vs Pakistan WCL match, originally scheduled for July 20, was cancelled amid widespread public backlash following the recent Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives. Prominent Indian players — including Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, and Yusuf Pathan — had reportedly withdrawn from the match earlier, as per India Today.

Organisers of the WCL issued a statement acknowledging the public reaction and announced the cancellation of the high-profile fixture. “Dear All, We at WCL have always cherished and loved cricket, and our only aim has been to give fans some good, happy moments,” the organisers said.

“After hearing the news that the Pakistan hockey team will be coming to India this year, and seeing the recent India vs Pakistan volleyball match along with a few other fixtures between the two nations in different sports, we thought of continuing with the India vs Pakistan match at WCL — just to create some happy memories for people around the globe,” they added.

“But maybe in the process, we ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions. More than that, we unintentionally caused discomfort to our Indian Cricket Legends, who have brought so much glory to the country, and we ended up affecting the brands who supported us purely out of love for the game. Hence, we have decided to call off the India vs Pakistan match. We sincerely apologise again for hurting the sentiments and hope people will understand that all we ever wanted was to bring a few happy moments to the fans.”

The public outrage was also fuelled by recent remarks made by former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi, who was slated to feature in the cancelled match. 
Afridi made a controversial statement following the Pahalgam attack, saying, “The terrorists continued to kill people in Pahalgam for an hour, and not a single Indian soldier out of 8 lakh showed up. But when they did, they blamed Pakistan.”