The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a blanket ban on Pakistan’s participation in future editions of the World Championship of Legends (WCL). The move comes in response to India’s boycott of matches against Pakistan, which led tournament organisers to cancel scheduled fixtures between the two sides.
Initially, India and Pakistan were set to clash in the group stage, but following intense social media backlash, the organisers called the game off. Indian players including Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina had already withdrawn, leaving the organisers with little choice.
Later, India were also set to meet Pakistan in the semi-final. However, a day before the match, India pulled out, handing Pakistan a direct entry into the final. Pakistan went on to lose to South Africa by nine wickets in the title clash at Edgbaston, Birmingham.
On Sunday, the PCB released a strongly worded statement criticising the WCL organisers for what it described as hypocrisy and bias. The statement followed the board’s 79th Board of Governors meeting, chaired virtually by Mohsin Naqvi.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announces that it is issuing a blanket ban from future participation in the World Championship of Legends (WCL). The PCB… reviewed with considerable disappointment WCL’s appalling conduct of awarding points to a willfully forfeiting team, and the content of the press releases… which were tainted with hypocrisy and bias,” the statement read.
The PCB further accused the organisers of selectively applying the idea of “peace through sport”, alleging that the cancellation of matches reflected commercial and political interests rather than cricketing merit.
Calls within India to sever sporting ties with Pakistan intensified after the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 tourists lost their lives. India subsequently launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Responding to the WCL’s apology for “hurting sentiments,” the PCB dismissed it as “farcical,” arguing it exposed the real reason behind the match cancellations.
“This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community,” the PCB said.
“The PCB can no longer condone participation in an event where the fundamental principles of fair play and unbiased administration are compromised by external pressures.”