In a significant development at the World Championship of Legends, the India Champions has opted not to participate in their scheduled semi-final match against Pakistan Champions. The fixture was set to take place on Thursday in Birmingham.
According to event organisers, the decision was made due to ongoing diplomatic sensitivities between the two nations.
As a result, Pakistan Champions will automatically progress to the final, where they will face the winner of the second semi-final between Australia Champions and South Africa Champions.
The India Champions squad features notable former players including Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan, and Robin Uthappa.
The team had previously also declined to play their group stage match against Pakistan Champions on July 20. On that occasion, both teams were awarded shared points.
With Pakistan Champions finishing at the top of the group with nine points, and India Champions placing fourth with three points, the Pakistan team advanced in accordance with tournament rules.
Event organisers have announced a 50% refund for fans who had purchased tickets for the semi-final match.