Why Was India vs Pakistan WCL 2025 Match Cancelled - Explained

A veterans' cricket match in Birmingham involving India and Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends was cancelled after Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, refused to be a part of it citing the Pahalgam terror attack in April. The second edition of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) tournament, which is co-owned by Bollywood star Ajay Devgn, started on June 18 at Edgbaston here and is scheduled for an August 2 final. World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh is the captain of the India Champions, while the squad also features the likes of Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa and Varun Aaron among others.

The WCL organisers shared a statement on their X account, detailing the decision of cancellation and said their intention while conducting the match was to recreate some "happy memories." "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.

"But maybe in the process, we ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions," the WCL statement read.

The Pakistan team has in its ranks captain Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Sohail Tanvir, Wahab Riaz, Kamran Akmal among a host of yesteryear players.

The organisers also apologised for "unintentionally causing discomfort" to Indian legends.

"Hence, we have decided to call off the India-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," it read.

Former India opener Dhawan also shared a statement on X, announcing his stand not to participate in the match against Pakistan.

"This is to formally reiterate and confirm that Mr. Shikhar Dhawan will not be participating in any matches against the Pakistan team in the upcoming WCL League. This decision was communicated earlier during our discussion on call and WhatsApp dated 11th May 2025," read his statement.

Dhawan made it clear that he has taken the call in view of the current "geopolitical" situation between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack and the ensuing Operation Sindoor carried out by the country.

Operation Sindoor had led to a brief military showdown between the two arch foes before India agreed to halt its operations on Pakistan's request for a cease fire. "In view of the current geopolitical situation and the prevailing tensions between India and Pakistan, Mr. Dhawan and his team have taken this position after due consideration.

"We respectfully request the league's understanding and cooperation on this matter," he said in the statement.

Off-spin legend Harbhajan, a sitting Rajya Sabha MP, Yusuf, who is also a Member of Parliament, and Irfan too have conveyed their decision to boycott the match against Pakistan, though they are yet to issue a statement in this regard.

The players received a lot of flak on social media for agreeing to the play against the Pakistan team.

India had defeated Pakistan by five wickets to win the inaugural edition of the six-team legends tournament last year in Edgbaston.

While India does not engage with Pakistan in any bilateral sporting activities because of the existing geopolitical scenario, the two nations often meet each other at various levels of competitions featuring Olympic sports.

In fact, the Indian government has given its approval for Pakistan's participation in several major events to be hosted in India this year, including the Hockey Asia Cup (August), Junior Hockey World Cup (November–December), Junior Shooting World Cup (September), and the World Para Athletics Championships (October).

The reason being that any move to block Pakistan, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 tourists, would have been a violation of the Olympic charter, which is like a constitution for the Olympic Movement.

Rule 44 of the Charter specifically prohibits National Olympic Committees from excluding athletes based on "racial, religious or political reasons". Failure to grant visas can lead to "international isolation and loss of hosting rights for future events." In cricket, India and Pakistan do not engage in bilateral series, limiting their face-offs to global ICC events such as the World Cup and Champions Trophy.

A hybrid hosting model was introduced during this year's Champions Trophy, under which India played its matches at a neutral venue — Dubai — while the rest of the tournament was held in Pakistan.

Following that precedent, Pakistan will play all its matches in Colombo during the Women's ODI World Cup this year. The tournament is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

However, the men's Asia Cup, tentatively set for September in the T20 format, remains in uncertainty as venue for the India-Pakistan clash is yet to be identified.

The BCCI has said unequivocally that it will not attend the Asian Cricket Council meeting, intended to thrash out a working model, if it is held in Dhaka.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Big Blow For India: Pacer Unlikely To Be Fit For 4th Test. Reason Is...

Injured Indian left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who is yet to play in the ongoing Test series against England, is unlikely to be available for selection for the fourth Test beginning in Manchester from July 23. Arshdeep, who is yet to play Test cricket, injured his left hand while trying to stop a shot from Sai Sudharsan's on his follow through during the net session in Beckenham on Thursday. The Indian team on Saturday arrived in Manchester in their bid to level the five match series following the heartbreak of Lord's. Following the training session in Beckenham, Arshdeep was walking around with his bowling hand bandaged. Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate, in as many words, had hinted that Arshdeep would be racing against time to get fit for the Manchester Test even though he had not found a playing eleven spot in the first three games.

“We'll take a call on the combination we play, particularly given the Arshdeep situation as well, we'll make that call closer to Manchester,” said Doeschate referring to the left-arm pacer getting injured during training.

“He took a ball while he was bowling there, Sai had a ball and he tried to stop it and it's just a cut, so we have to see how bad the cut is. Obviously the medical team has taken him off to see a doctor and obviously if he needs stitches or doesn't need stitches that's going to be important to our planning for the next few days,” he had said post training in Beckenham.

The left-arm pacer was only likely to get a shot if one of two senior pacers --- Jasprit Bumrah or Mohammed Siraj happen to be rested due to workload management. Bumrah, Siraj and Akash Deep formed the pace trio at Lord's.

It remains to be seen if Bumrah decides to play the Manchester Test or the fifth one at The Oval with the series on the line already.

There is no clarity over the availability of Akash Deep, who is dealing with a groin niggle.

Siraj has featured in all the games so far and is due for some rest.

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England vs Pakistan Live Streaming WCL 2025: When And Where To Watch

England Champions vs Pakistan Champions Live Streaming WCL 2025: England Champions take on Pakistan Champions in the opening match of World Championship of Legends 2025 at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday. Sanctioned by the England & Wales Cricket Board, the WCL is more than just a tournament - it's a tribute to the game's golden era. Each team is composed of revered former international players - true cricket legends who carry their nation's legacy into this elite league. India won the inaugural edition of WCL last year, beating arch-rivals Pakistan in the final.

When will the England Champions vs Pakistan Champions WCL 2025 match be played?

The England Champions vs Pakistan Champions WCL 2025 match will be played on Friday, July 18.

Where will the England Champions vs Pakistan Champions WCL 2025 match be played?

The England Champions vs Pakistan Champions WCL 2025 match will be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom.

What time will the England Champions vs Pakistan Champions WCL 2025 match start?

The England Champions vs Pakistan Champions WCL 2025 match will start at 9 PM IST.

Which TV channels will broadcast the England Champions vs Pakistan Champions WCL 2025 match?

The England Champions vs Pakistan Champions WCL 2025 match will be broadcast live on Star Sports.

Where to follow the live streaming of the England Champions vs Pakistan Champions WCL 2025 match?

The England Champions vs Pakistan Champions WCL 2025 match will be streamed live on FanCode.

(All the details are as per the information provided by the broadcaster)

(With IANS Inputs)

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For 1st Time Since Covid, More Than Half Of Top US Companies Junk WFH

For the first time since the pandemic upended work life five years ago, more than half the companies in the Fortune 100 have their employees fully back in the office, according to a report from real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. 

Hybrid schedules, which two years ago were offered by 78% of the 100 largest US companies by revenue, are now available at just 41% of them, while the share of Fortune 100 firms requiring full-time office attendance has jumped to 54% from 5%.

The shift to an in-office majority is helping to reshape the commercial real estate market. Office attendance in April and May was up 1.3% versus the same period last year, and the most desirable buildings are commanding record prices. JLL notes that "trophy buildings across Miami, New York City, San Francisco and other markets captured all-time high rents," with new construction asking $92.38 per square foot, the highest on record. 

At the same time, with vacancies hovering above 22%, developers are pulling older buildings off the market. According to JLL, national office inventory declined by 700,000 square feet last quarter, as demolitions and conversions, mainly to residential, industrial or mixed-use developments, outpaced new construction. 

The return of employees helps justify costly office leases in premium buildings. Among the 10 largest Fortune 100 companies, seven now require at least four days a week in-person, with the other three demanding full-time attendance, JLL found. According to the report, the average in-office requirement of the Fortune 100 rose to 3.8 days per week in the second quarter of 2025 from 2.6 days in the second quarter of 2023. 

Amazon.com Inc. started prepping corporate staff in 2024 to return fully to in-person work by January. JPMorgan Chase & Co. announced on Jan. 10 that it was ending its hybrid-work option, too. More recently, Starbucks Corp. announced it will require corporate employees to work in the office four days a week starting Sept. 29, and remote managers were told they must relocate to Seattle or Toronto within a year. Workers who opt to leave will be given a one-time cash exit offer, based on documents seen by Bloomberg News.

The office mandates haven't been without their ups and downs for big employers, several of which had to regroup after running out of space for all of their returning workers. The trend is clear, though. After years of uncertainty, companies are tightening expectations and reasserting control over where work happens, and the era of hybrid work being the dominant option has come to a close. Executives are calling people back - and this time, they mean it.

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"These Are Not 2 People On Tinder Date": Expert Defends Dreamliner Pilots

Serious pilots in India who are closely watching the unfolding events linked to the investigation into the crash of Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner are upset about the whole situation due to a perceived slant towards blaming the pilots, a top aviation expert and a pilot himself told NDTV on Thursday.

Captain Sam Thomas, who heads the Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India), said two things are bothering serious experts who have been tracking the investigation - speculation, and alleged absence of any qualified expert in the report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

"As far as speculation is concerned, we are okay with the media speculating. We believe speculation is a good part of investigative journalism. However, we object to pilots or so-called pilots or so-called experts who came on board and speculate," Mr Thomas told NDTV.

"On day one, they said it's a bird hit. On day two, they said it's an overloaded airplane. On day three, they said something else. What we are objecting to is why did you call them on day four? You called them on day five, six, till such time that they insinuated this is something the captain has done with a motive to end his own life, which is farthest from the truth," Mr Thomas said.

He said they don't believe the report "is completely Indian controlled", that it seemed like "a dictated sort of letter".

"And you released that in the middle of the night. You cannot even get the full form of FADEC correctly. And you cannot get the issue date of [pilot] Sumit's licence correct. How do I expect you to go through the entire report? I don't want to see past those three lines. And you have released one line selectively at the order of somebody. Now, we don't know who said to whom. And there is a tonality to a conversation. These are not two people on a Tinder date. So please be responsible," Mr Thomas said.

He said they would like to go through the entire report or the digital flight data recorder (DFDR) to throw better light, rather than using people who are non-technical and from a non-civilian background.

On a report by the Wall Street Journal that appeared to question the pilot's actions, Mr Thomas said it is likely the American newspaper has been "fed that information".

"... And it's our fault. It's not their fault. If I were to be heading this committee, I would have sat there and given a piece of paper to each of those NTSB and Boeing investigators and said, 'sign this, whatever goes out of this room goes out through me and not through anybody else. If you cannot maintain that confidentiality, get out of here'," Mr Thomas said.

"[But] they have set the narrative in such a calculated manner that no matter what proof I give you, they will still nail the pilot. They have already done that. Half the world thinks that, and half the world thinks Indian pilots are morons. This has happened because of the shoddy investigation and the shoddy way things have proceeded in India."

He referred to the Boeing 737 MAX controversy over the MCAS-linked crashes.

"... With the 737 Max crash, what about the first crash? If you had woken up at that time and had a conscience, you would have said, hey, I need something to set my airplane. All right. You kept quiet. Unfortunately, the Ethiopian accident happened.

"Luckily, the Ethiopians were much more intelligent than all of us. They did their in-house investigation and that's when it came out that you could not avoid the existence of MCAS, which is a renegade system that crashes your airplane. So there are many, many vested interests, not just one. Let's not just look at the OEM or some investigating body. Everybody who is not telling the truth has something to gain. And this is the narrative that is being told," the veteran pilot told NDTV.

The Air India Boeing 787 crashed seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad airport, killing 260 people.

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ICC Punishes England For Slow Over-rate vs India, Shastri Says: "Focus On..."

With England being docked two points in the WTC rankings for slow over rate during their thrilling win at Lord's, former India head coach Ravi Shastri said the Ben Stokes-led side can make up for their points deduction if their focus remains on winning matches. On Wednesday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said two points have been cut from England's World Test Championship (WTC) tally and have been fined 10 per cent of their match fee. Subsequently, England's tally in the WTC standings has dropped from 24 to 22 out of 36 points, with their points percentage going from 66.67 per cent to 61.11 per cent.

As a result, England has slipped from second to third position in the WTC points table, with Sri Lanka now overtaking them to claim the second spot, and be just behind table toppers Australia.

In context of this, Shastri also pointed how in 2019-21 WTC cycle, Australia were docked four points for their ordinary over rate against India in the 2020 Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

“It hurts as Australia found out in the first cycle of the World Test Championship. They had a slow over rate against India and it cost them the second place and Zealand qualified for that final. So you've got to be fully aware about all this. There'll be certain games where they'll probably make up for it,” said Shastri in a video posted on ICC's Instagram account on Wednesday.

With this still happening at the nascent stage of their WTC cycle 2025-27, Shastri feels England will have a lot of chances to win games and get points which can offset the loss of those two points – starting from the fourth Test against India, which begins on July 23 in Manchester.

"But I think more than the over rate, you have to think of winning. If you focus on winning, then come the last six months, you can probably try and adjust, see how you can get those two points back or something of that sort. But you've got to win, that's more important. Because if you keep winning, that won't matter," he added.

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"Won't Keep A Single Rupee" Singer On Radhika Yadav's Music Video

Independent artiste Inaam Ul Haq, who featured in a music video with tennis player Radhika Yadav, today shared a post on Instagram about the backlash he has been receiving after her death. Ms Yadav was allegedly killed by her father, and as per one of the many theories around the motive of the murder, she was killed over the music video, 'Karwaan'. The claim was earlier rejected by Inaam, who said the 25-year-old told him that her father liked the music video.

Today, he shared that many people were saying that he is "gaining fame because of what happened to Radhika. That my song Karwaan is trending, and I'll earn from it."

The video went viral after Radhika Yadav's murder.

The singer said that he "will not keep a single rupee" from the money he would be earning from the song: "Whatever I receive from Karwaan - whether monthly royalties from or revenue, I won't keep a single rupee".

The video is by Inaam, produced by Zeeshan Ahmad and released under the LLF Records label a year ago.

He said every payment for the song will "go towards helping the poor, feeding the hungry, supporting the helpless, and doing something meaningful".

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by INAAM UL HAQ (@aapka_inaam)

"If even one sincere prayer comes from someone I've helped, and it brings peace to her soul, that's more than enough for me. This isn't about numbers. Not about fame. Just a small gesture in someone's memory," he said.

"I've always worked with honesty and respect. I never wanted attention this way. And I never will. Rest in peace, Radhika. You'll always be remembered," he added.

Earlier, Inam-ul-Haq, had said that he had no connection to her murder and had not been in touch with her after the video shoot.

Radhika Yadav was allegedly shot dead at point-blank range by her father Deepak Yadav at the family's double-storey home at Sushant Lok area in Sector 57, Gurugram on July 10.

He reportedly confessed to the police that he shot her because he was often taunted for living off her income.

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