Citing “biassed” behaviour by the event organisers, the PCB has announced a “blanket ban” from future World Championship of Legends (WCL) participation. Due to tense political ties between the two nations, the Indian Champions forfeited two matches, including the semi-final, against the Pakistani Champions.
The board further attacked WCL for awarding points to a forfeiting team, claiming that it was “tainted with hypocrisy and bias” because the teams shared points after India declined to face Pakistan in the group match. The board also criticised what it called a selective application of the “peace through sport” theme, charging the organisers with permitting economic interests and political concerns to sabotage the competition.
The announcement follows the 79th virtual meeting of the PCB’s board of governors, which was chaired by Mohsin Naqvi.
The PCB stated in a statement that “the cancellation was not based on cricketing merit but on appeasing a specific nationalistic narrative.” “The world athletic community receives an undesirable message from this.
“However, 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 WCL has apologised for “hurting sentiments” when India pulled out.
“The WCL’s apology for ‘hurting the sentiments’, whilst being farcical, inadvertently acknowledges that the cancellation was not based on cricketing merit, but rather on succumbing to a specific nationalistic narrative,” the statement continued. “This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community.”
The board reaffirmed their dedication to international cricket and constructive rivalries, but they also stated that they would not allow its players to engage in competitions that “undermine the spirit of the game.”
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