After snub from India Champions in World Championship of Legends, Pakistan Cricket Board prohibits teams from using country’s name in private leagues

After being snubbed two times by former India cricketers like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan at the World Championship of Legends (WCL) — including in the high-stakes semi-final — the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has banned the use of the country’s name in all privately-run cricket leagues, according to a media report.

Telecom Asia Sport, quoting sources, said the PCB took the decision during its Board of Directors meeting on Thursday in which senior officials ‘expressed frustration after Indian players twice refused to take the field against Pakistan during the WCL’s second edition.’ Yuvraj Singh and Co. first pulled out of a league stage match against Pakistan Champions in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian and one Nepali citizen. Both teams were awarded one point each and it was that point that helped India make the semi-finals of the six-team tournament after languishing at the bottom of the table for the whole tournament since they were winless until a victory over West Indies in the final league stage match.

India Champions were once again pitted against Pakistan Champions — comprising Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Misbah ul-Haq, among others — in the semifinals. However, after their withdrawal from the semifinals, Pakistan Champions made it to the title match. Pakistan Champions lost the final by nine wickets to South Africa Champions.

Story continues below this ad

The report added that the team will be allowed to play the final against South Africa on Saturday but in the future, they will be barred from using the name ‘Pakistan’ without ‘formal clearance.

The report added that the Pakistan government and the Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Ministry, which oversees sports in the country, ‘have advised the PCB to take stringent action to prevent such occurrences in the future.’

“The IPC is understood to have formally communicated its concerns to the cricket board, stressing the need to protect national dignity in international sporting events, especially those involving private or unsanctioned entities,” Telecom Asia Sport reported.