With T20 tournaments being played globally, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) introduced the World Championship of Legends (WCL), a unique T20 league featuring retired cricket legends. This annual tournament has quickly become one of the most popular events in the cricket calendar.
The inaugural season, held in 2024, saw six iconic teams compete in 18 matches played in a round-robin format from July 3 to July 13. Legendary players like Shahid Afridi, Brett Lee, Yuvraj Singh, Jacques Kallis, Chris Gayle, Kevin Pietersen, and Younis Khan participated, drawing massive global attention.
World Championship of Legends : Teams and Their Captains
| Team | Captain |
|---|---|
| India Champions | Yuvraj Singh |
| Pakistan Champions | Younis Khan |
| Australia Champions | Brett Lee |
| West Indies Champions | Darren Sammy |
| England Champions | Kevin Pietersen |
| South Africa Champions | Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers in 2025 |
Read more: Points Table of WCL (World Championship of Legends) 2024
World Championship of Legends (WCL): Owners
The World Championship of Legends is crowned by Harshit Rana and Ajay Devgan. Harshit is a famous Indian celebrity who is single, an actor, and a lyricist. Meanwhile, Ajay Devgan is one of the leading stars in the Bollywood industry, having done over 100 films until now. The World Championship of Legends 2024 is sponsored by EaseMyTrip.
Who won the World Championship Legends Season-1 2024?
The final was played on July 13, 2024 between India Champions and Pakistan Champions at Edgbaston in Birmingham. India made it to the final after beating Australia, while Pakistan won against West Indies in the first semi-final. The game started with Pakistan winning the toss and deciding to bowl first. The last time these two teams met in the group stage, Pakistan won by posting well over the 230-run mark.
But this time, India bowled well to restrict them to 156/6. Shoaib Malik scored 41 off 36 and was the top scorer for his team. In reply, India had a great start. Ambati Rayudu made 50 off 30 at the top, and Gurkreet Mann scored 34 off 33. In the end, Yusuf Pathan scored an unbeaten 30 off 16 to take India to victory. India made 159/5 in 19.1 overs to win the inaugural season world championship legends cricket league, and Pakistan finished as runners-up.
World Championship of Legends 2024: Top scorers in WCL cricket league
- Here are the top five scorers for the tournament.
- Shoaib Malik (PAK) – 245 runs in 7 matches
- Ian Bell (ENG) – 230 runs in 5 Matches
- Robin Uthappa (IND) – 225 runs in 7 matches
- Sharjeel Khan (PAK) – 221 runs in 7 matches
- Yusuf Pathan (IND) – 221 runs in 7 matches
World Championship of Legends 2024: Top wicket-takers in WCL
- Nathan Coulter Nile (AUS) – 9 wickets in 6 matches
- Wahab Riaz (PAK) – 9 wickets in 7 matches
- Shoaib Malik (PAK) – 9 wickets in 7 matches
- Brett Lee (AUS) – 9 wickets in 6 matches
- Harbhajan Singh (IND) – 8 wickets in 7 matches
WCL 2025
Following the success of the inaugural season, the excitement for WCL 2025 is building. The second edition, set to take place from July 18 to August 2, 2025, will feature the same six teams and promises even more thrilling encounters. With legendary players returning to the field and new strategies in play, fans can look forward to another unforgettable season.
Stay tuned for more updates and detailed schedules for WCL 2025!
