Pakistan Champions will not take part in the ongoing World Championship of Legends after the PCB upheld its refusal to issue the NOC
The Mohsin Naqvi-led board rejected a review request from team owner Kamil Khan
The team said it respected PCB’s authority but was disappointed at missing the global cricket event
Pakistan Champions will miss the third season of the World Championship of Legends after the Pakistan Cricket Board refused to issue the required No-Objection Certificate to the private team of retired cricketers. The Mohsin Naqvi-led board has held its line despite a request from team owner Kamil Khan to review the decision.
The refusal keeps Pakistan Champions out of the ongoing tournament. In a statement, the team said: “Pakistan Champions regret to confirm that the team will not be able to participate in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL), following the Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to uphold its refusal to issue the required NOC."
The team added: “We respect PCB’s authority and its decision, while naturally being disappointed that our players will not have the opportunity to represent Pakistan Champions at this global gathering of cricketing legends. We sincerely thank our players, supporters and fans for their patience, understanding and continued support."
Board Conditions Rejected
Reports in India said the PCB had tied approval to two conditions. It wanted Indian players to issue a written apology for the boycott and shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts. WCL management rejected those terms, which led to the NoC being denied.
Kamil Khan then asked the PCB to reconsider its decision. The board did not change its stand.
Previous Tournament Fallout
The dispute goes back to the 2025 edition. India Champions boycotted two matches against Pakistan Champions, and the PCB later banned Pakistan Champions from representing the country at the competition last year.
One withdrawal came in the league stage. The Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions side pulled out of its match against Pakistan Champions after the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 25 Indians and one Nepali citizen and drove political relations between the two countries to a new low.
Both teams got one point. That mattered because India, winless until its final league game against West Indies, scraped into the semi-finals.
Knockout Stage Impact
The rivalry returned in the last four. India Champions were drawn against Pakistan Champions again but withdrew from the semi-final as well.
Pakistan Champions therefore advanced to the final. The side featured Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq.
The run ended there. Pakistan Champions lost the title clash to South Africa Champions by nine wickets.
