World Championship of Legends 2025: Alastair Cook Joins England Champions For WCL Season 2

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England's legendary batter Sir Alastair Cook has announced his return to competitive cricket, confirming his entry into the England Champions squad for the upcoming World Championship of Legends to be held at Edgbaston in July 2025.

Cook, who bid aideu to international cricket in 2018 as England's highest Test run-scorer, will reunite with his compatriot and white-ball icon, Eoin Morgan, who is set to lead the England Champions this season in the prestigious global tournament.

Sharing his excitement, Cook said, as quoted from a press release by World Championship of Legends, "It is great to be back playing for my country. I am really looking forward to being back on the field with Eoin and the other guys."

Expressing gratitude for the opportunity, he added, "The World Championship of Legends is providing the chance to be back involved with cricket at its best. I can't wait!"

Harshit Tomar, Founder and CEO of WCL, expressed his enthusiasm and said, "Having a player of Sir Alastair Cook's caliber join the World Championship of Legends will be a tremendous boost for the tournament. His legendary status will undoubtedly elevate the competition and bring immense value to the England Champions team."

"Sir Cook's decision to return to cricket through the WCL platform demonstrates the tournament's growing prestige and appeal to cricket icons worldwide," Harshit Tomar added.

Praveen Sharma, owner of the England Champions, shared his pride in the team's strengthening squad: "This is more than just a team announcement--it's history in motion. With Cook and Morgan at the helm, England Champions is ready to take the WCL by storm."

Captain Eoin Morgan welcomed Cook with open arms and said, "Having Alastair back is not just about cricket, it's about camaraderie, history, and creating new memories. We're not just playing the game--we're honouring it."

Cook's return adds yet another layer of excellence to a side already packed with champions. His career boasts 161 Test matches, 12,472 runs at an average of 45.35, and 33 centuries, solidifying his legacy as one of the game's all-time greats.

In the inaugural edition, England Champions squad was led by Kevin Pietersen and the team also included the likes of Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel and Owais Shah among others. This year, Morgan and Cook will also be taking the field for the England side.

England Champions, who finished in fifth place last season, will begin their season 2 campaign against Pakistan in the opener on July 18 before they meet Australia, West Indies, South Africa and India in their remaining round-robin matches.

Apart from Cook and Morgan, Shikhar Dhawan will be turning up for India Champions, while T20 great AB de Villiers will play for the South Africa Champions, and Sarfaraz Ahmed will represent the Pakistan Champions. More additions will be announced in the build up to the tournament.