An undated image of Pakistan Champions all-rounder Shahid Afridi (left) and India Champions captain Yuvraj Singh. — WCL/FilePCB slams WCL’s press launch over Pak-India match cancellation.BoG decries insupportable exterior affect, disregard for neutrality.Ideas of truthful play, unbiased administration compromised: PCB.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has imposed a blanket ban barring any future participation within the World Championship of Legends (WCL) over politics, bias and hypocrisy within the event.
“We cannot allow our players to be part of events where the spirit of the game is overshadowed by skewed politics that undermine the very essence of sportsmanship and the gentleman’s game,” learn the PCB’s press launch regarding the Board of Governors (BoG) assembly, headed by Chairman Mohsin Naqvi.
Expressing appreciable disappointment with WCL’s appalling conduct of awarding factors to a willfully forfeiting workforce, the PCB lamented the content material of the press releases of the WCL saying the cancellation of the scheduled match between Pakistan and India — which, as per the board, had been tainted with hypocrisy and bias.
The transfer comes within the aftermath of the WCL fixture between the 2 arch-rivals on account of what the organisers termed was aimed toward mitigating the harm sentiments and the discomfort triggered to Indian workforce gamers.
“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 PCB stated.
Stressing that it had all the time advocated for the separation of sports activities and politics, the board accentuated that cricket, like different worldwide sports activities, ought to solely function a platform for goodwill, wholesome competitors, and mutual respect.
“For a tournament involving legendary players to be dictated by sentiments that undermine this fundamental principle is not only regrettable but also deeply concerning for the future of independent sporting events,” learn the PCB’s press launch.
It famous that WCL’s apology for “hurting the sentiments”, while being farcical, inadvertently acknowledges that the cancellation was not based mostly on cricketing benefit, however moderately on succumbing to a selected nationalistic narrative.
“This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community,” the board lamented.
“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 now not condone participation in an occasion the place the elemental rules of truthful play and unbiased administration are compromised by exterior pressures,” the board stated whereas reaffirming its dedication to to selling cricket globally and fostering wholesome sporting rivalries.
The stated event culminated on Saturday (yesterday), with Pakistan ending up being runner-up as Sough Africa lifted the WCL 2025 trophy after securing a nine-wicket win within the closing courtesy of AB de Villiers’ unbeaten century.
