The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has agreed to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Pakistan Champions to participate in the World Championship of Legends (WCL), but the move has become complicated by conditions the tournament organisers have refused to accept.
The latest update on the situation is that Pakistan Champions will not be participating in WCL Season 3 due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’. WCL Season 3 continues with six teams.
According to sources cited in the report, the PCB was prepared to allow Pakistan Champions to take part provided the WCL agreed to specific terms surrounding matches against India Champions. The WCL management, however, accepted the commercial terms put forward by the PCB while rejecting its demands for written apologies and an understanding on handshakes.
The disagreement has left Pakistan Champions’ participation in the ongoing WCL uncertain.
What Did the PCB Ask the WCL to Agree To?
The PCB’s conditions centred on how Pakistan Champions’ matches against India Champions would be handled.
According to sources, the PCB was willing to accept a situation in which Indian players chose not to take the field against Pakistan Champions. However, it also sought assurances on the circumstances surrounding such a decision.
The PCB reportedly wanted Indian players to provide written apologies for refusing to play against Pakistan Champions in the previous edition of the tournament.
It also indicated that it would be comfortable with players shaking hands, as part of an effort to resolve the tensions that emerged during the previous edition.
The WCL management did not accept those two demands.
The tournament organisers reportedly agreed to the commercial terms proposed by the PCB but rejected the conditions relating to written apologies and handshakes.
Why Is There a Dispute Between India and Pakistan Champions?
The disagreement stems from events at the 2025 edition of the WCL.
India Champions and Pakistan Champions were scheduled to meet during the group stage, but the Indian side declined to participate amid tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack.
The teams were subsequently due to face each other again in the semi-final. India Champions again chose not to take the field, allowing Pakistan Champions to progress to the final.
The Indian squad included former internationals such as Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan and Robin Uthappa.
The withdrawals became a major point of contention between the two sides and now form the backdrop to the PCB’s conditions for Pakistan Champions’ participation in the latest WCL edition.
What Does the PCB’s NOC Mean for Pakistan Champions?
A NOC is required for Pakistan Champions to participate in the tournament, but the PCB’s willingness to issue one is tied to the conditions it has put forward.
The latest development suggests that there is agreement on the commercial aspects of Pakistan Champions’ participation, but not on the additional requirements concerning the India Champions matches.
That distinction has become central to the current uncertainty.
The PCB has agreed in principle to the team’s participation, while the WCL has not accepted the conditions attached to that approval.
WCL Rejects Apology and Handshake Conditions
The most contentious elements of the PCB’s proposal are the requests for written apologies and acceptance of handshakes between the players.
The PCB reportedly wanted written apologies from Indian players for their decision not to take the field against Pakistan Champions in 2025. The WCL management has rejected that demand.
The tournament organisers have also not accepted the handshake-related condition.
At the same time, the WCL has agreed to the commercial terms put forward by the PCB, leaving the two sides aligned on one part of the agreement but divided over the conditions attached to India-Pakistan fixtures.
What Happens Next?
The immediate issue is whether the PCB and WCL can resolve the disagreement over the conditions attached to Pakistan Champions’ participation.
The PCB has indicated its willingness to issue the NOC subject to its demands, while the WCL has rejected the apology and handshake requirements.
Until those differences are resolved, uncertainty will remain over Pakistan Champions’ involvement in the current edition of the WCL and any potential meeting with India Champions.
The dispute is therefore not simply about whether Pakistan Champions can participate. It is about the conditions under which the team would return to a tournament that remains marked by the events of last year’s India-Pakistan fixtures.