Cricket fans are in shock as India has officially refused to play the highly anticipated semi-final clash against Pakistan in the World Championship of Legends 2025, set for tomorrow in Birmingham.

Captain Shikhar Dhawan doubled down on the team’s earlier stance, reaffirming that they will not take the field against Pakistan. With India’s withdrawal, Pakistan may head straight to the final by default.

India had secured their semi-final spot after defeating the West Indies, joining Pakistan, South Africa, and Australia in the final four. The second semi-final, South Africa vs. Australia, will go ahead as scheduled on the same day.

This isn’t the first time politics has disrupted the pitch — Dhawan, along with Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, and Harbhajan Singh, had previously opposed playing Pakistan, forcing the cancellation of the earlier group-stage match.

Now, with India pulling out once again, fans are calling it “a walkover with controversy written all over it.”