The India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry needs no introduction. Even when it’s veterans playing in the World Championship of Legends (WCL), the hype is real. Yet, fans were left disappointed when India Champions refused to face Pakistan Champions not once, but twice, first in the league stage and then again in the semi-final.

The highly anticipated league game scheduled for 20 July at Edgbaston was officially called off just hours before the toss.

And the semi-final was also scrapped, handing Pakistan Champions a direct ticket to the final. A move that sparked a whirlwind of emotions across social media and cricketing circles alike.

“We Failed to Read the Room”

Harshit Tomar, the owner of the WCL, has now broken his silence. Speaking on a recent podcast (recorded before the semi-final drama unfolded), he reflected on the situation with honesty and frustration.

“Everyone has their own way of showing patriotism, perhaps a sportsman shows it by stepping onto the field and winning,” he said.

But Tomar admitted that somewhere along the line, organisers misjudged public sentiment.

“Two days before the match, I realised the India vs Pakistan game was hurting people’s sentiments. Campaigns were running on social media, and the pressure grew in the news,” he revealed.

According to Tomar, the entire tournament had been planned months in advance.

“I had finalised the plans for this tournament back in December. The rules are strict here and you have to communicate things in advance with the England Cricket Board (ECB),” he explained.

No Player Wanted to Play?

One of the more striking revelations was that not a single Indian player expressed a desire to play against Pakistan.

“The day the decision was made, the entire Indian team was united. It was a decision made collectively by all 15, not a single player wanted to play. There could have been a better way to communicate this,” Tomar admitted.

It was a clear signal that the call wasn’t forced from above but stemmed from within the team itself. Yet, Tomar couldn’t hide his disappointment over the way things were handled.

A Lost Sporting Moment?

Tomar was visibly emotional while discussing the fallout. He felt the India Champions had the perfect opportunity to “gift the country something special” by taking the field and winning, the ultimate show of patriotism, in his eyes.

“We couldn’t finalise what decision to make, but as sportsmen, we wanted to step onto the field and prove ourselves,” he said.

And that’s perhaps the most painful part of this saga, a sporting chance lost to silence, confusion, and miscommunication.

Tomar added, “The thing that hurt me was seeing some people being called patriots and others being questioned.”

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