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Pakistan Champions withdraw from WCL after PCB refuses to grant NOC
Pakistan Champions have withdrawn from the World Championship of Legends (WCL) after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) maintained its refusal to grant the No-Objection Certificates (NOCs). The decision also puts an end to a prolonged standoff between the PCB and WCL organisers, who had been trying to resolve the issue and find a way for Pakistan to take part in the third edition of the tournament. The Pakistan champions had finished runners-up in the last edition, losing to South Africa in the final.
"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. 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,” the team said in a statement.
The latest controversy goes back to the 2025 edition of the WCL where tensions escalated after India Champions declined to play Pakistan Champions in their scheduled group-stage meeting and did the same in the semi-final.
That time the PCB had reacted strongly to the organisers' handling of those incidents. In August 2025, the board announced a blanket ban on Pakistan's future participation in the WCL. Ahead of the WCL 2026, the Pakistan Champions management sought permission for their squad to participate despite the PCB’s earlier position. Team owner Kamil Khan was involved in efforts to persuade the board to reconsider, but there was no breakthrough in the disagreement.
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