Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has imposed a complete ban on Pakistani cricketers from participating in any future editions of the World Championship of Legends (WCL), citing “hypocrisy, bias, and political interference” in the tournament’s handling of matches involving Pakistan.
The decision was taken during the 79th Board of Governors (BoG) meeting, held virtually under the chairmanship of PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi.
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In a strongly worded statement, the PCB condemned WCL’s “appalling conduct” in awarding points to a team that “willfully forfeited” a match, while also criticising the “hypocritical and biased” language used in press releases about the cancellation of Pakistan vs India fixtures.
“The contents of the said press release highlight a duality where the narrative of ‘peace through sport’ is selectively applied, and sporting events are held hostage to political expediency and narrow commercial interests,” the PCB said.
Reiterating its stance on separating sports from politics, the board noted, “The PCB has always advocated for the separation of sports and politics. Cricket should serve as a platform for goodwill, healthy competition and mutual respect.”
The statement further dismissed WCL’s apology for “hurting sentiments” as “farcical” and an indirect admission that the match cancellations were motivated by nationalist narratives rather than sporting merit.
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“This bias masquerading as sensitivity sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community,” the PCB added.
Concluding its statement, the board said it would no longer allow Pakistani players to take part in events where neutrality and fair play are compromised.
“We cannot allow our players to be part of events where the spirit of the game is overshadowed by skewed politics that undermines the very essence of sportsmanship and the gentleman’s game,” the statement read.
