PCB imposes 'blanket ban' on Pakistan's participation in WCL following India's boycott: 'Not only regrettable but...'

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) imposed a blanket ban on Pakistan's participation in the upcoming editions of the World Championship of Legends (WCL). This decision comes following India's decision to boycott the matches against Pakistan, keeping national sentiments in mind. India were slated to square off against the arch-rival in the group stage, but the organisers called off the fixture after social media outrage. Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, and others had already pulled out of the contest, and hence the organisers had no choice but to call the contest off. PCB imposes blanket ban on Pakistan's participation in upcoming WCL tournaments.

India were then slated to play Pakistan in the semi-final. However, a day before the contest, the side pulled out of the contest, giving their opponents a direct qualification into the final, where they eventually lost against South Africa.

On Sunday, the PCB issued an official statement, calling out the organisers of WCL for hypocrisy. The Mohsin Naqvi-headed board stated that they have no choice but to impose a blanket ban, looking at the behaviour of the organisers of WCL.

“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, during its 79th BoG meeting held virtually under the chairmanship of Mohsin Naqvi, 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,” the PCB said in their statement.

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"The contents of the said press releases 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 statement added.

Pahalgam terror attack

Calls have been growing in India for the country to stop all ties with Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, where 26 tourists were killed by terrorists. India then launched Operation Sindoor, attacking terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

However, the PCB labelled WCL organisers' statement of being “farcical”, alleging that the cancellation of matches between India and Pakistan was not based on “cricketing merit.”

"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. This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community," the PCB stated.

“In light of this unfortunate development, which underscores a clear and intolerable pattern of external influence and a disregard for the principles of sporting neutrality, the Pakistan Cricket Board is compelled to take a firm 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,” the statement added.

The second edition of WCL concluded on Saturday with South Africa defeating Pakistan by nine wickets in the final at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

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