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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has imposed a ban on the use of the name ‘Pakistan’ in privately-owned cricket leagues following recent controversies in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) in the United Kingdom. Former cricketers Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, and Shoaib Malik are representing the ‘Pakistan Champions’ team in the tournament, but the PCB has now prohibited such teams from using the country’s name without formal approval.
According to *Telecom Asia Sports*, citing a PCB source, the decision was made during a Board of Directors meeting on Thursday. The move comes after the ‘Pakistan Champions’ team faced embarrassment when the ‘India Champions’ team refused to play against them twice during the WCL. In the league stage and the semi-final, India boycotted matches against Pakistan, allowing the latter to advance to the final against South Africa Legends. While the PCB permitted the team to compete in the final, it expressed dissatisfaction with the situation and clarified that no team or league can use the name ‘Pakistan’ without official PCB approval in the future.
The WCL is not recognized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) or the PCB. According to the tournament’s website, it is the only legends cricket league approved by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which it claims ensures its credibility and quality.
