Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan Cricket Board bans its own team

The PCB has officially restricted Pakistan Champions' further participation in the World Championship of Legends, citing biased decisions and favouritism from the authorities, just before the Asia Cup 2025 preparation begins.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has adopted new policies after the immense humiliation faced during the recently concluded season of the World Championship of Legends.

Pakistan has been in a constant political combat with the neighbouring nation India, and the toll of the warfare has been significant on the cricket field as well. The disagreement between BCCI and the PCB and India's withdrawal from games against Pakistan in the WCL have all significantly tarnished PCB and Pakistan's reputation.

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PCB confirms Pakistan's withdrawal from major tournament ahead of Asia Cup 2025

The PCB has imposed a ban on Pakistan's participation in any future matches of the World Championship of Legends. This was a major step taken after the PCB found the WCL authorities' response towards the withdrawal of the India Champions from a game against Pakistan Champions as biased and hypocritical.

"The PCB, during its 79th BoG meeting held virtually under the chairmanship of Mohsin Naqvi reviewed with considerable disappointment WCL's appalling conduct of awarding points to a willfully forfeiting team..."

"....and the content of the press releases of the WCL announcing the cancellation of the scheduled India vs. Pakistan legends matches, which were tainted with hypocrisy and bias," said a PCB statement as quoted by IANS.

The PCB made their thoughts clear that they are citing this move as a disregard for the principles of sporting neutrality, and hence they are forced to take action before the Asia Cup 2025 participation.

"In light of this unfortunate development, which underscores a clear and intolerable pattern of external influence and a disregard for the principles of sporting neutrality, the Pakistan Cricket Board is compelled to take a firm stance."

"The PCB can no longer condone participation in an event where the fundamental principles of fair play and unbiased administration are compromised by external pressures," said the PCB.

India's walkover irked PCB as they imposed a ban on using the name 'Pakistan' in private leagues

After India Champions decided to withdraw from the group stage match, the authorities distributed the points between the two sides, and PCB did not have a stance over it since the board does not control the Pakistan Champions' participation in the WCL.

This took place after the Asia Cup 2025 match was announced between India vs Pakistan. Asia Cup 2025 faced severe criticism over the schedule.

Later, Pakistan Champions were further humiliated when India Champions decided to withdraw from the semi-final contest and instead honoured their nation by switching to give them a walkover.

Pakistan Champions hence went straight into the finals of the competition, though this has irked the PCB for non-participation in the competition, as they have imposed a ban on using the name 'Pakistan' in private leagues like the WCL.

Asia Cup 2025: Pakistan Champions lost two consecutive finals in the WCL

The Pakistan Champions featured in consecutive editions of the World Championship of Legends, and they qualified for the finals in both seasons.

Pakistan Champions lost to India Champions in the final of WCL 2024, and then lost to South Africa Champions in the WCL 2025 final. They still await a title, while PCB now imposes a ban on their further participation.

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