South Africa Champions on Saturday thrashed Pakistan Champions to win the 2nd edition of the World Championship of the Legends at Edgbaston in Birmingham. AB de Villiers, who has been unlucky in winning an ICC trophy and an Indian Premier League title, has managed to bag silverware. The 41-year-old has been in sublime form through the tournament and slammed a blistering ton in the final to take South Africa home.
Signed ✍️
Sealed ✅
Delivered 🏆
𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐂𝐋 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐒 🎉#WCL2025 #SAChampions pic.twitter.com/GFnLMtVhdS
— FanCode (@FanCode) August 2, 2025
Despite suffering from a hamstring injury, De Villiers managed to make a mockery of a massive 196 runs. He reached his ton in just 47-deleiveries with 12 boundaries and seven gigantic sixes. Although he lost his other South African teammate, Hashim Amla, early in the piece, he was well supported by JP Duminy, who himself managed to score a crisp half-century and secure the winning runs with a boundary.
Cometh the hour, cometh Superman 🦸♂️
Chasing a daunting 196, AB de Villiers battled a hamstring injury to take South Africa over the line in the #WCL2025 final 🔥#ABdeVilliers #SAChampions pic.twitter.com/yiy1WulA57
— FanCode (@FanCode) August 2, 2025
Earlier, Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez won the toss and opted to bat first. Sharjeel Khan’s 44-ball 76 helped Pakistan to put on 195/5 on the board. Wayne Parnell and Hardus Viljoen picked up a couple of wickets each. Defending, the total Pakistan bowlers looked toothless, and Saeed Ajmal has been the only wicket-taker.
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PCB bars teams from using country’s name in private leagues
After being snubbed twice by former India cricketers like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan at the World Championship of Legends (WCL), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned the use of the country’s name in all privately-run cricket leagues, according to a media report.
Telecom Asia Sport, quoting sources, said the PCB took the decision during its Board of Directors meeting on Thursday in which senior officials ‘expressed frustration after Indian players twice refused to take the field against Pakistan during the WCL’s second edition.’
Yuvraj Singh and Co. first pulled out of a league stage match against Pakistan Champions in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian and one Nepali citizen. Both teams were awarded one point each and it was that point that helped India make the semi-finals of the six-team tournament after languishing at the bottom of the table for the whole tournament since they were winless until a victory over West Indies in the final league stage match.
India Champions were once again pitted against Pakistan Champions — comprising Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Misbah ul-Haq, among others — in the semifinals. However, after their withdrawal from the semifinals, Pakistan Champions made it to the title match. The report added that the team will be allowed to play the final against South Africa on Saturday but in the future, they will be barred from using the name ‘Pakistan’ without ‘formal clearance.