The cricketing world is abuzz with excitement as several legendary cricketers are set to come out of retirement and take the field once again. These cricketing icons are ready to participate in the first season of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), a tournament that aims to bring the magic of yesteryears back to the fans. The tournament will be held over a span of ten days, from July 3 to July 13, in the United Kingdom. Featuring six teams, all vying for the prestigious trophy, the WCL promises to be a thrilling event. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the schedules, teams, and fixtures for the much-anticipated WCL Season 1.
The competition will see six teams representing significant cricketing nations: India Champions, Pakistan Champions, England Champions, Australia Champions, South Africa Champions, and West Indies Champions. These teams will compete in a round-robin format during the group stage, where each team will play against every other team. Following the group stage, the top four teams will progress to the semifinals. The grand finale, set for July 13, will determine the tournament’s winner. In total, 18 matches will be played across two prestigious venues in England – Birmingham’s Edgbaston and Northampton’s County Ground.
In terms of scheduling, the initial ten matches will take place at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham. The momentum will then shift to the County Ground in Northampton for the subsequent seven matches, including the two semifinals.
. The final showdown will return to Edgbaston. Fans can catch the live action at two scheduled times – 5:30 PM and 10:30 PM IST.
Here’s a detailed fixture list:
– July 03, Wednesday:
– Match 1: England Champions vs India Champions
– Match 2: Australia Champions vs Pakistan Champions
– Venue: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham
– July 04, Thursday:
– Match 3: South Africa Champions vs England Champions
– Match 4: Pakistan Champions vs West Indies Champions
– Venue: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham
– July 05, Friday:
– Match 5: Australia Champions vs South Africa Champions
– Match 6: India Champions vs West Indies Champions
– Venue: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham
– July 06, Saturday:
– Match 7: England Champions vs Australia Champions
– Match 8: India Champions vs Pakistan Champions
– Venue: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham
– July 07, Sunday:
– Match 9: South Africa Champions vs West Indies Champions
– Match 10: England Champions vs Pakistan Champions
– Venue: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham
– July 08, Monday:
– Match 11: India Champions vs Australia Champions
– Venue: Northamptonshire Stadium
– July 09, Tuesday:
– Match 12: West Indies Champions vs England Champions
– Match 13: South Africa Champions vs Pakistan Champions
– Venue: Northamptonshire Stadium
– July 10, Wednesday:
– Match 14: West Indies Champions vs Australia Champions
– Match 15: India Champions vs South Africa Champions
– Venue: Northamptonshire Stadium
– July 12, Wednesday:
– First Semi-Final: TBA vs TBA
– Second Semi-Final: TBA vs TBA
– Venue: Northamptonshire Stadium
– July 13, Saturday:
– Final Match: TBA vs TBA
– Venue: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham
In terms of the squads, the tournament features a star-studded lineup of cricketing legends that fans have cherished over the years. Here are the squad details:
– **India Champions**:
– Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Ambati Rayudu, Gurkeerat Mann, Rahul Sharma, Naman Ojha, Rahul Shukla, RP Singh, Vinay Kumar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Saurabh Tiwary, Anureet Singh, Pawan Negi.
– **Australia Champions**:
– Brett Lee, Tim Paine, Shaun Marsh, Ben Cutting, Ben Dunk, Dirk Nannes, Dan Christian, Ben Laughlin, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Callum Ferguson, Peter Siddle, Xavier Doherty, Nathan Coulter Nile, John Hastings.
– **England Champions**:
– Kevin Pietersen, Ravi Bopara, Ian Bell, Samit Patel, Owais Shah, Philip Mustard, Chris Schofield, Sajid Mahmood, Ajmal Shahzad, Usman Afzaal, Ryan Sidebottom, Stephen Parry, Stuart Meaker, Kevin O’Brien.
– **West Indies Champions**:
– Daren Sammy, Chris Gayle, Samuel Badree, Ravi Rampaul, Kesrick Williams, Jason Mohammed, Navin Stewart, Dwayne Smith, Ashley Nurse, Sulieman Benn, Chadwick Walton, Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards, Kirk Edwards, Jonathan Carter.
– **South Africa Champions**:
– Jacques Kallis (C), Herschelle Gibbs, Imran Tahir, Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn, Ashwell Prince, Neil McKenzie, Ryan McLaren, Justin Ontong, Rory Kleinveldt, JP Duminy, Richard Levi, Dane Vilas, Vernon Philander, Charl Langeveldt.
– **Pakistan Champions**:
– Younis Khan (C), Misbah Ul Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal, Sohail Tanveer, Sohail Khan, Tanveer Ahmad, Muhammad Hafeez, Aamer Yamin, Shoaib Malik, Sohaib Maqsood, Sharjeel Khan, Umar Akmal.
As the start date approaches, cricket fans worldwide are eagerly anticipating the return of their favorite legends to the field. The World Championship of Legends 2024 is set to be a spectacular celebration of cricket, heritage, and sportsmanship.
