Pakistan Team Withdrawn from World Championship of Legends 2026 Over Demands for Indian Players' Apology
The Pakistan team has been withdrawn from the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2026 after organisers rejected conditions set by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for its players' participation, according to tv9marathi.com. The PCB had reportedly demanded a written apology from Indian players for an incident in the 2025 tournament and an agreement on formal handshakes.
The WCL 2026, which commenced on October 3, will now proceed without the Pakistan team. Pakistan had not played any matches in the tournament before its withdrawal. The team's scheduled match against Bangladesh on October 3 did not take place, and its match against Australia scheduled for today, October 5, has also been cancelled. A highly anticipated match between Pakistan and India, slated for October 10, will also be cancelled as a result of Pakistan's exit from the tournament, tv9marathi.com reported.
PCB's Conditions and Organisers' Rejection
The conflict between the PCB and the WCL organisers arose over the issuance of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for Pakistani players to participate in the tournament. According to tv9marathi.com, the PCB had attached several conditions to its NOC approval, which were subsequently rejected by the WCL management.
Among the conditions, the PCB reportedly stated that it would have no objection if Indian players did not participate in the tournament. More significantly, the board demanded that Indian players issue a written apology for their absence from the field in the previous year's tournament. Additionally, the PCB sought an agreement on formal handshakes between the two teams.
The WCL management, however, took a firm stance against these demands. While the organisers accepted the commercial conditions put forth by the PCB, they "completely rejected" the demands for an apology from Indian players and an agreement on handshakes. The WCL management clarified that such conditions could not be imposed on any player or team, tv9marathi.com reported. Following the organisers' steadfast position, the Pakistan Champions League team was subsequently removed from the competition.
Background to the Dispute: The 2025 Tournament
The demand for an apology from Indian players stems from an incident during the 2025 World Championship of Legends. In that tournament, the India Champions team refused to play their scheduled semi-final match against the Pakistan Champions. This refusal led to the Pakistan Champions directly advancing to the final, according to tv9marathi.com.
The Indian team's decision not to take the field was reportedly made against the backdrop of tensions between the two countries. The India Champions squad in 2025 included several former international players such as Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan, and Robin Uthappa.
Impact on the Tournament Schedule
The withdrawal of the Pakistan team means a significant alteration to the World Championship of Legends 2026 schedule. The tournament, which began on October 3, will now proceed with fewer teams or a revised fixture list, though specific details on these changes were not immediately available.
The cancellation of the Pakistan vs. India match on October 10 deprives fans of one of the most anticipated encounters of the tournament. The WCL aims to bring together legendary cricketers from around the world, and the absence of the Pakistan team marks a notable development in the early stages of the 2026 edition.
