In the wake of a recent controversy at the World Championships of Legends (WCL), the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has introduced a significant policy change, prohibiting the use of the country’s name in all privately run cricket leagues.
This step comes after Indian cricketers reportedly declined to play against the “Pakistan Champions” team during the tournament held in the United Kingdom.
As per Telecom Asia Sport, the decision was made during the PCB’s Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, following concerns that the repeated boycotts had affected Pakistan’s reputation. High-ranking officials within the board concluded that corrective measures were necessary to prevent such incidents in the future.
“The decision was taken after a detailed discussion in the Board of Directors meeting on Thursday,” a source told Telecom Asia Sport.
“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,” the source added.
From now on, private entities will no longer be allowed to use the name “Pakistan” in their teams without official clearance from the PCB. However, the current Pakistan Legends side has been permitted to compete in the WCL final against South Africa scheduled for Saturday.
Reports further suggest that numerous lesser-known leagues across nations such as the USA, Kenya, and Zimbabwe have used Pakistan’s name without authorization, prompting the PCB to take strict action.
According to PCB insiders,
“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.”
Moreover, the board has received an advisory from the Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee (IPC) and the Pakistan government, urging the implementation of a regulatory framework to oversee the usage of the country’s name in unofficial cricketing events.
This move is seen as an effort by the PCB to safeguard national integrity and prevent the misuse of the country’s identity on unregulated platforms.