The Pakistan Champions have officially withdrawn from the World Championship of Legends (WCL) after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refused to issue the necessary No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the team. This decision stems from a statement released by the PCB last year, in which the board accused the tournament of “hypocrisy and bias” and declared that it would no longer condone participation in an event that mixed politics with sport. The PCB subsequently imposed a blanket ban on Pakistan’s future involvement in the competition. Despite efforts by the WCL organizers to secure the required NOCs—especially given that the Pakistan team finished as runners-up to South Africa in the previous year’s edition—the deadlock remained unresolved.
“Pakistan Champions regret to confirm that the team will not be able to participate in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL), following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to uphold its refusal to issue the required NOC,” the Pakistan Champions franchise stated in a communication to Cricinfo.
“Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan had formally requested the PCB to reconsider its decision and remained engaged in discussions regarding the team’s participation. We respect the PCB’s authority and its decision, while naturally being disappointed that our players will not have the opportunity to represent Pakistan Champions at this global gathering of cricketing legends. We sincerely thank our players, supporters, and fans for their patience, understanding, and continued support.”
This year’s tournament commenced on October 3, featuring a match between India and Australia. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s scheduled game against Bangladesh was postponed as organizers attempted to negotiate an agreement with the PCB. According to sources, the WCL organizers were willing to reschedule Pakistan’s matches while the NOC issue was being resolved. However, as the deadline approached with Australia slated to play Pakistan on Monday, it became evident that a resolution was no longer feasible.
The Pakistan Champions squad was slated to be led by the charismatic Shahid Afridi, alongside seasoned cricketers including Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfraz Ahmed, and Wahab Riaz, among others.
The PCB’s frustration initially escalated after India withdrew from two scheduled matches against Pakistan, including a semi-final encounter last year. While Pakistan was awarded a walkover in the semi-final, the board took particular exception to India being awarded a point following a withdrawal during a group stage match, describing it as “an unacceptable message to the international sporting community.”
Cricinfo has reached out to the PCB for official comment on the matter.
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