Logo of Pakistan Cricket Board. The board introduced a blanket ban on its gamers’ participation in future editions of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), accusing the match organisers of being “biased” and missing sporting integrity. Photo: X/@TheRealPCB
The resolution follows a sequence of occasions through which the Indian staff forfeited each their group-stage conflict and semifinal in opposition to Pakistan, citing the nation’s stand in opposition to bilateral sporting ties with the neighbouring nation after the ugly Pahalagam terror assault.
“The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) pronounces that it’s issuing a blanket ban from future participation within the World Championship of Legends (WCL),” the PCB mentioned in an announcement after its board of governors assembly held just about below the chairmanship of Mohsin Naqvi.
The PCB additionally took robust exception to the WCL’s resolution to award factors to India regardless of the forfeiture, calling it “tainted with hypocrisy and bias.”
India and Pakistan had been slated to fulfill within the group stage, however the Indian aspect — that includes Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, and Harbhajan Singh — refused to play, citing nationwide sentiment following the fear assault and India’s subsequent ‘Operation Sindoor’.
With India additionally pulling out of the semifinal, Pakistan superior on to the ultimate.
“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 of the WCL announcing the cancellation of the scheduled India vs. Pakistan legends matches, which were tainted with hypocrisy and bias.”
Criticising the match’s dealing with of the state of affairs, the PCB mentioned, “The cancellation was not based on cricketing merit but on appeasing a specific nationalistic narrative. This sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community.”
The board additional acknowledged that it couldn’t permit its gamers to take part in occasions the place “the spirit of the game is overshadowed by skewed politics that undermine the very essence of sportsmanship and the gentleman’s game.”
The WCL, which is co-owned by Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn, had earlier issued an apology for “hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions” following the cancellation of the group stage match.
“We sincerely apologise again for hurting the sentiments and hope people will understand that all we ever wanted was to bring a few happy moments to the fans,” the WCL had mentioned.
The PCB, nevertheless, termed the apology “farcical,” accusing the organisers of caving to “a specific nationalistic narrative.” “The WCL’s apology for “hurting the emotions”, whilst being farcical, inadvertently acknowledges that the cancellation was not based on cricketing merit, but rather on succumbing to a specific nationalistic narrative,” the PCB mentioned.
“This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community.”
PCB mentioned it had no selection however to implement the ban.
“In mild of this unlucky growth, which underscores a transparent and insupportable sample of exterior affect and a disregard for the rules of sporting neutrality, the Pakistan Cricket Board is compelled to take a agency stance.
“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,” it added.
Sources within the know of issues have indicated that WCL’s Indian promoters have been already contemplating dropping the Pakistan staff from future editions of the match.
Published – August 03, 2025 03:06 pm IST
