PCB rejects World Championship of Legends boycott call, to play South Africa in final
PCB has rejected a proposal to boycott the Legends League final. However, the board decided that future use of the “Pakistan” name in such events requires PCB approval. Pakistan to play South Africa in the WCL final on August 2 at Edgbaston.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has firmly rejected a proposal to boycott the final of the ongoing World Championship of Legends. An emergency meeting was held on Friday, August 1, to discuss the matter, with the WCL final set to be played on August 2. PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi chaired discussions from the United States, with full participation from the Governing Board.
The meeting, called specifically to address the Legends League issue, saw a unanimous decision to proceed with participation in the final. Some board members had raised concerns over the involvement of Indian sponsors and owners in the tournament, suggesting that India was attempting to politicise the event following setbacks in both the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and on geopolitical fronts.
A particular grievance centred on the “Pakistan Champions” name being used in the league without PCB's direct approval. Members stressed that only the PCB should have the authority to permit the use of the national name in any cricketing event. Criticism was also directed at the tournament organisers for awarding a point to a team that forfeited a match against Pakistan Champions, allowing them to progress to the semi-finals.
Zaheer Abbas convinced otherwise
According to Cricket Pakistan, former cricketer Zaheer Abbas and others urged the board to avoid a boycott, citing Pakistan’s historic commitment to separating politics from sport. This perspective gained support, and the board agreed to stay the course, allowing the team to compete in the final. It was further decided that moving forward, no team would be permitted to use the “Pakistan” name in Legends League or similar events without explicit PCB approval.
Chairman Mohsin Naqvi was granted full authority to make the final call regarding participation and future engagements. He eventually granted permission as Pakistan champions will now play South Africa in the WCL final at Edgbaston.