'Bharat Mata ki Jai': India Champions Make Huge Statement After Refusing to Play Pakistan Counterparts at WCL 2025

WCL 2025: The India Champions' players took a massive call keeping the interest of the nation in front as they refused to play the World Championship of Legends semi-final against their Pakistani counterparts. While the call taken by them garnered a lot of applause back home, a team insider, while speaking to TOI, said that had the team even reached the final and had to play the Men in Green - the decision would have been the same. 

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‘Bharat Mata ki jai’

"We are not playing against Pakistan (in semis). Our country and nation will always be at the top for us, and then anything. India ke liye kuch bhi. We are proud members of the Indian team. We have struggled and worked hard to put the Indian flag on our shirts, and we earned it. We will never let our country down, no matter what. Bharat Mata ki jai," the insider said on condition of anonymity.

"Even if we had entered the final and faced Pakistan, we all would have done the same. We all Indians are on the same page," the insider added.

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For the unversed, the India Champions forfeited the group-stage match against Pakistan as well. They took this call in the wake of the Pahalgam attack where 26 innocent lives were lost. 

The EaseMyTrip Backout

EaseMyTrip, who were one of the sponsors of the India versus Pakistan WCL semi-final match also pulled out. In a statement released by the EaseMyTrip group, it claimed that they had taken the call in the interest of the nation keeping all financial aspects aside.