The Pakistan Cricket Board announced a “blanket ban” on future participation in the T20 World Championship of Legends on Sunday, accusing the organizers of being biased in favour of India.
India twice forfeited its games against Pakistan during the WCL, including a semifinal, due to strained political relations between the two countries.
The organizers awarded both teams one point each after India forfeited a league game against Pakistan, a decision that didn’t sit well with the PCB, which described it as “tainted with hypocrisy and bias.”
Pakistan lost to South Africa by nine wickets in the final at Birmingham on Saturday. The WCL is a league of retired cricketers in which teams from West Indies, Australia and England also participated.
“We cannot allow our players to be part of events where the spirit of the game is overshadowed by skewed politics that undermines the very essence of sportsmanship and the gentleman’s game,” the PCB said in a statement.
WCL organizers acknowledged Pakistan’s willingness to compete against India, but also said in one of its statements that it “respected India’s decision to withdraw” from games against Pakistan.
But the PCB took issue with the WCL narrative.
“The contents of the said (WCL) 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 said.
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