PCB Withdraws from World Championship of Legends Over Political Bias Concerns

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that it will not play in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) anymore. The board raised serious concerns about how the tournament is being run, saying it lacks fairness and political neutrality. According to a report by The Nation, the PCB believes the event was managed under outside pressure. “The way the tournament was handled did not seem independent,” the PCB said. “Even the apology issued later seemed to reflect a particular kind of nationalism, which makes it difficult for us to remain involved,” it added.

Concerns Over Double Standards and Unfair Decisions

This decision was taken in a meeting of the Board of Governors, which was led by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. The board highlighted actions they felt were politically influenced and not in the spirit of the game. One of the key issues mentioned was the awarding of points to a team that had chosen not to play a match. The PCB strongly objected to this, calling it unfair and against the principles of healthy competition.

Criticism of Organizers' Response After India-Pakistan Game

The PCB also criticised the statement released by the WCL organisers after the India-Pakistan match was cancelled. The board felt the message was politically biased and unfair. It said it will not take part in any event that does not support fairness and stay neutral. The board stressed that it won’t support tournaments where external influences shape the outcome of matches.

Sponsor Distances Itself from India-Pakistan Match

Earlier, EaseMyTrip co-founder Nishant Pitti said the company will not be part of any India-Pakistan match in the WCL. Even though the company had signed a five-year sponsorship deal with WCL two years ago, it clearly shared its decision. Pitti wrote on X (formerly Twitter), praising India’s performance and sharing his support for the national team. He said, “India vs Pakistan - WCL Semi-Final. We are proud of Team India @India_Champions for their great show in the tournament. But the semi-final match against Pakistan is not like a regular game. Terror and cricket can’t be played together.”

He also said, “At EaseMyTrip, we are with India. We can’t support any event that tries to build normal relations with a country that supports terrorism. The people of India have clearly shared their opinions, and we respect them. EaseMyTrip will not be connected to the India vs. Pakistan match in the WCL. Some things are more important than sports. Our country comes first, always. Jai Hind.”