PCB NOC issue forces Bangladesh match postponement; owner Kamil Khan remains hopeful of a change in decision
KARACHI: Pakistan Champions have been officially ruled out of the World Championship of Legends after their scheduled match against Bangladesh in Sharjah was postponed due to players not receiving No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The tournament began in the UAE on Friday, with Pakistan Champions due to face Bangladesh in Sharjah. However, the match was postponed after the PCB did not issue NOCs to the players.
Captain Shahid Afridi and Sarfaraz Ahmed opted not to travel to Dubai, although several other players had already reached the UAE.
Sources said the team owners had proposed changing the team’s name to enable participation in the event, but the proposal was also rejected.
Last year, the Indian team twice refused to play against Pakistan Champions, with former India opener Shikhar Dhawan playing a leading role in the decision.
According to the current schedule, Pakistan and India were due to face each other in Dubai on October 10. Former India players Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan and Harbhajan Singh are part of the Indian squad.
Officials were concerned that if Pakistani former internationals received NOCs and prepared to play India, the Indian side could withdraw from the fixture again, creating an avoidable controversy. The decision was therefore taken not to grant the players permission.
Sources added that some influential figures had also urged the PCB to reconsider its decision, but their efforts proved unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan remains hopeful that the PCB will reverse its decision.
“We could not play the match against Bangladesh, but we still hope that the PCB will reconsider its decision. The players submitted their applications according to the prescribed procedure, and we are still waiting for a positive decision,” Khan said.
He added that the PCB was their own cricket board and that they would not go against its decision.
This correspondent had reported several days ago that the team was unlikely to receive NOC.
