[WATCH ]'Will Have to Play Against Us' – Shahid Afridi words backfire as India Champions boycott WCL 2025 semi-final

Shahid Afridi could only silently witness from the balcony of the stadium as the Yuvraj Singh-led Indian Champions, who had just decided not to play the WCL 2025 semi-final against the Pakistani Champions, walked out of the venue. The decision came due to the increased political tension between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack incident. India had already skipped their league stage match against Pakistan, and many wondered if they would stick to their stand in the knockout stage—which they did, emphatically.

A video doing rounds on social media captured the moment—Afridi watching helplessly from above while Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, and others exited the stadium. After qualifying for the semifinals, Afridi had taunted, "Pata nahi ab kis muh se khelga par khelega hamare sath hi (Don’t know with what face India will play, but they’ll have to play us)." That remark now stands hollow as India chose principle over play, choosing to forfeit the game rather than take the field against Pakistan. Their semifinal qualification came after defeating the West Indies Champions.

The tournament organizers officially confirmed the development in a statement: "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." They added that Pakistan will advance to the final by default.

Organisers Acknowledge Public Sentiment

The WCL committee further stated that while they’ve always believed in sport as a unifier, respecting public emotion was paramount. "Public sentiment must always be respected—after all, everything we do is for our audience," the statement read. The Indian team, including famous players like Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Yusuf Pathan, was one in the decision to respect the national sentiment and not play the game.

See Also: 'The team management might... ' - R Ashwin weighs on Jasprit Bumrah's availability ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

This act of solidarity went far beyond the spheres of the game of sport. The fact that the India Champions are not taking part in the tournament does not mean that their stance has not raised a discussion about the intertwined politics and cricket issue.