India Champions looked down and out and almost neared elimination from the WCL 2025 before they took on the West Indies Champions on Monday. Tasked with chasing down 145 within 15 overs to book their semi-final spot, Stuart Binny's blistering cameo of 50 (21) helped India gun down the target in only 13.5 overs. 

The late resurgence in form has allowed India to miraculously sneak into the semi-final phase. But India's progression to the semi-final round has certainly caused a few headaches for the organizers. Trouble has started to mount as they will be facing their arch-rivals, Pakistan, again in the first semi-final match on July 31.

Previously, the two sides met in a group stage match, which was called off as a certain group of Indian players refused to participate, citing political differences. A no-result was declared for this game, and both teams shared the points under controversial circumstances. The recent Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent military campaign that followed have strained the relationship between the two countries.

Besides, the general public appears to be in no mood to see their national team play against a country that has a notorious reputation for sponsoring terrorism. After the cancellation of the league stage game, the India Champions are facing immense pressure from the fans to boycott the upcoming semi-final match against Pakistan tomorrow. So here comes the billion-dollar question - Will India be playing Pakistan in the WCL 2025 semi-final? And what are the consequences of it if India pulls out of it? Read on as we delve deeper into how this controversy can pan out. 

See also: Former Indian Test skipper urges India to reconsider playing against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2025

Here is what we know so far

Earlier in the tournament, India Champions superstars featuring Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, and the Pathan brothers refused to participate against Pakistan Champions in a bid to stand in solidarity with those who were affected in Pahalgam. Besides, what triggered this unprecedented reaction from the Indian stars was the presence of former Pakistani all-rounder Shahid Afridi. 

In the wake of Operation Sindoor, Afridi issued a lot of inflammatory remarks that undermined the credibility of the Indian government and its armed forces. Understandably, these remarks did not sit too well with the Indian players, and as a result, they staged a boycott when it was learnt that Afridi would take part in that game.

Besides, another shocking development has come to the fore. EaseMyTrip, which happens to be one of the sponsors for this event, has pulled out and will not be associated with the semi-final clash in any manner. Nishant Pitti, co-founder of the travel platform, recently issued a statement stating that terror and cricket can't co-exist and national pride must take precedence over hefty profits. 

“The upcoming semi-final against Pakistan is not just another game. Terror and cricket cannot go hand in hand. @EaseMyTrip, we stand with India. We cannot support any event that attempts to normalise relations with a country that promotes terrorism. The people of India have spoken and we hear them."

🚨 #BREAKING l #EaseMyTrip withdraws from India vs Pakistan WCL semi-final

✊ ‘Terror & Cricket cannot go hand in hand’ ! - saya @nishantpitti

📍 @EaseMyTrip will not be associated with the upcoming India vs Pakistan semi-final in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) ! -… pic.twitter.com/3ATyJQwIBg

— Surajya Abhiyan (@SurajyaCampaign) July 30, 2025

Amidst this storm, the organizers at WCL are yet to issue a formal statement on this highly anticipated fixture. Confirmation on whether or not the fixture will go ahead is awaited in due course. But with only 24 hours to go, the organizers are running out of time. At present, the match remains in limbo. But India Champions opener Shikhar Dhawan had already made it clear earlier that India would refrain from playing Pakistan even if the two teams meet in the semis.

As a feasible alternative, the WCL organizers can swap the semi-final fixtures which can effectively eliminate the possibility of a future Ind-Pak clash. At the moment, four teams mainly India, Pakistan, Australia, and South Africa have qualified. Teams ranked first and fourth will play off the first semi-final clash (Team1 vs Team4). The second semi-final fixture will comprise a clash between the second and the third ranked team. (Team2 vs Team3)

To put it into perspective, Pakistan, being at the top will play against India who are ranked fourth. Similarly, South Africa who are ranked second, will play Australia who are ranked third. To solve this problem, the WCL organizers can move the fixtures around as follows: Team1 vs Team2 and Team3 vs Team4. It is a call which will have to be taken by the organizers and the teams could face inconvenience should the changes come into effect at such short notice. 

What do we think at CricketWinner?

Public outrage in India is at its peak following the tragic Pahalgam terror attacks, which took the lives of 26 innocent civilians. The tragic news has left deep scars that the country is yet to fully recover from. It is believed that the people who were responsible for carrying out the heinous attack belonged to Pakistan. As the nation continues to mourn the loss of the deceased souls, the general public can't visualize their national side play against a nation that openly advocates terrorist activities. 

Hence, we, at CricketWinner, strongly feel that India Champions should boycott their upcoming semi-final match against Pakistan on Thursday. It's clearly not a matter of points which is at stake. Dignity and patriotism for the nation come first and precede all other worldly values. The entire nation lauded India Champions when they refused to face Pakistan Champions earlier in the league stage. Judging by the way the events are unfolding, another Ind-Pak WCL boycott very much appears to be on the cards.