Cricket fans worldwide are getting a special chance to feel nostalgic as the World Championship of Legends 2025 brings back retired cricket stars to the biggest stage. This highly anticipated T20 tournament took place from July 18 to August 2 at four famous cricket grounds in England. Six top teams: India, England, Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, and the West Indies, competed against each other. South Africa champions are the winners of the World Championship of Legends 2025 and gave a bang-on performance.
Read further to know all the insights about the wonderful championship of legends.
World Championship of Legends: Overview
The World Championship of Legends is an International tournament which brings all the retired players from six countries. This championship has allowed all the fans to relive the brilliance of the iconic players and celebrate the enduring legacy of the spot.
Stars like Yuvraj Singh, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Brett Lee, and others played again, representing their countries. The WCL 2025 has delivered exciting games, strong competition, and a unique opportunity for fans to experience the unforgettable moments of their favourite legends in a top-level league format.
Legends Championship Tournament Format and Structure
The championship involves six teams (India Champions, Pakistan Champions, South Africa Champions, Australia Champions, England Champions, West Indies Champions) participating in a round-robin league, with each match impacting playoff qualification. The top four teams qualify to play in the semi-finals – ties are settled by points and net run rate (“NRR”).
World Championship of Legends Standings
Here are the points table and the World Championship of Legends standings:
| No | Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | PTS | Net RR |
| 1 | Pakistan Champions (Q) | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 2.494 |
| 2 | South Africa Champions (Q) | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2.608 |
| 3 | Australia Champions (Q) | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | -1.523 |
| 4 | India Champions (Q) | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -0.678 |
| 5 | England Champions | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | -0.797 |
| 6 | West Indies Champions | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1.974 |
(Q= Qualified for Semi-Finals)
Pakistan Champions stayed unbeaten throughout, while South Africa, with AB de Villiers leading, showed a great performance with a high run rate and the best NRR. India made it to the semis by having a better NRR, as they ended up with the same points as England.
Team-by-Team Review
Pakistan Champions: The only team yet to lose, buoyed by key figures and great strategising. Pakistan, having received a “walkover” against India because of political tensions, achieved a victory that reinforced its unbeaten status.
South Africa Champions: AB de Villiers did a fantastic job captaining the team to high-scoring victories, including a 95-run capitulation of Australia and a big chase against Pakistan in the group stages.
Australia Champions: A mixed campaign, highlighted by a strange 18-ball over from John Hastings, which featured 5 no balls, and key victories in tight situations.
India Champions: Yuvraj Singh led a team which was almost out after multiple losses, including their clutch must-win against the West Indies. India qualified because they had a better NRR than England.
England Champions: Beating India was great, but England could not progress due to a worse NRR than India and missed a place in the semi-final.
West Indies Champions: Scoring just one win, West Indies finished bottom, and the discussion of the best of the world was disappointing; they never looked like to could trouble the top teams.
Key Matches and Turning Points
Pivotal Matches
- Pakistan Champions vs England Champions (July 18, Edgbaston): The tournament began with Pakistan edging England by 5 runs to establish the start of their unbeaten journey.
- West Indies Champions vs South Africa Champions (July 19, Edgbaston): This was a tied game, with South Africa winning via a dramatic bowl-out, after 11 overs, representing good fortitude, early in the tournament.
- England Champions vs Australia Champions (July 19, Edgbaston): The rain meant a no-result, which left both teams short of points ahead of their subsequent games.
- India Champions vs Pakistan Champions (July 20, Edgbaston): The much-anticipated battle was called off due to pressure from the political situation, with Pakistan awarded a walkover; a game-changing moment for the team standings and sense about the tournament.
- South Africa Champions vs India Champions (July 22, Northampton): South Africa provided a crushing opening defeat for India, winning by 88 runs (as per the DLS method), being established as the favourite and leaving India in an uncertain position.
- West Indies Champions vs England Champions (July 22, Northampton): By achieving a 10-run win, West Indies gave brief hope for their campaign.
- South Africa Champions vs England Champions (July 24, Leicester): The 10-wicket victory by South Africa against England showed the strength and similar form of the squad.
Tournament-shaped Moments
- Australia’s Big Wins and an 18-ball over from John Hastings: Australia achieved some important victories, while also having a really strange highlight, with the legendary John Hastings bowling 18 balls in an over, which became a viral moment of the group stages.
- India clawed back for one last chance: India were on the brink of elimination, needing a win to stay alive, and managed a solid defeat of West Indies, to grab a semi-final spot, but only advanced because of a higher net run rate than England (by a small margin).
- South Africa’s continued dominance: South Africa was established as a superpower of cricket, after multiple impressive wins (including beating Australia and India), and was marked as the favourite heading straight into the playoffs.
These matches and moments not only decided who progressed, but sparked rivalries, ignited viral moments and reminded people of why the legends of cricket can still inspire and entertain at the highest level.
Off-Field Drama: Politics and Rivalries
There was some tension in the tournament. India chose not to play Pakistan in the group stage after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam. The match was called off, and Pakistan was given a walkover. This caused a lot of discussion outside the game, as sponsors and fans had different reactions. It showed how closely linked cricket is to political issues.
Winner of the World Championship of Legends 2025
The winner of the World Championship of Legends 2025 was the South African team. They won the trophy at Edgbaston on August 2, 2025, after chasing a tough target of 196 runs set by the Pakistan team. South Africa controlled the final match, finishing the job in just 16.5 overs and winning by nine wickets. The standout player was AB de Villiers, who hit an amazing innings of 120* off 60 balls, leading his team to a memorable win.
From the beginning of the tournament, South Africa played exceptional cricket and consistently proved to be the favourites to win. The manner in which they were victorious in both the semi-final and final games demonstrated their skill and experience, and in addition to their skills, demonstrated their ability to strategise their games in the tournament format. The tournament had several famous retired players; however, it was South Africa’s team that proved to be strong in their batting and strong in their bowling.
This win was significant in the realm of legends cricket, as South Africa had defeated teams from India, Pakistan, Australia, England, and the West Indies.
The 2025 season was special because of the thrilling matches, record-breaking performances, and being able to see the old retired cricket stars again playing at the highest level.
Refresh Date: August 27, 2025
