The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has put a ban on using the name of the country in teams representing it in private cricket leagues following the fiasco in the World Championships of Legends (WCL) in which Indian players refused to play against the ‘Pakistan Champions’. According to a report in Telecom Asia Sport, the PCB has decided to pull the plug on the use of the country’s name in private cricket leagues after the ongoing WCL in the UK was made out to be a clash between India and Pakistan.
“The decision was taken after a detailed discussion in the Board of Directors meeting on Thursday,” sources told according to a report from Telecom Asia on Friday. “The high-level authorities felt Indian players refusing to play Pakistan in the WCL’s second edition twice is hurtful to the name of the country.”
Moving forward, no private organisation will be permitted to use Pakistan’s name for private leagues. However, the current Pakistan Legends team will be allowed to play in Saturday’s final against South Africa.
In the future, no permission will be given to any private organization to use the name of the country for private leagues. However, the current Pakistan Legends team will be allowed to play Saturday’s final against South Africa.
The reports said that various private organisations have used the name of Pakistan to feature in minor and low-profile leagues in Zimbabwe, Kenya, and the USA.
Sources close to the PCB stated, “All private organisations will face legal action in case they use Pakistan’s name. PCB has the sole right to allow its use for cricket events if it finds the authenticity of the League and the organisation as reputable.”
It has also been reported that the Pakistan government and the IPC (Inter-provincial coordination committee), responsible for overseeing sports in the country, have issued an advisory to the PCB to regulate the use of the country’s name in private cricket leagues in the future.
“All private organizations will face legal action in case they use Pakistan’s name. PCB has the sole right to allow its use for cricket events if it finds the authenticity of the League and the organization as reputable,” the report quoted sources close to the PCB as saying.
