Pakistan Told To Not Play In Tournament With India [Source: AFP]In a significant development, Pakistani cricketers have reportedly been barred from participating in the upcoming edition of the World Championship of Legends (WCL). The tournament is scheduled to be held in October this year.The WCL is a unique tournament that features teams like India, Pakistan, South Africa, Australia, England and others, where former cricketers who have retired from the game compete against each other.After the success of two seasons, WCL was renewed for a third season, which was scheduled to go on floors in October 2026. However, it has abruptly hit a new roadblock.Pakistan ruled out of the WCL 2026 seasonAccording to the Daily Independent, Pakistan Champions have been removed from WCL 2026 because of the continuing India-Pakistan tensions. Apparently, PCB has banned the team from using the name of ‘Pakistan’ in WCL or any other official tournament whatsoever. Notably, Pakistan Champions were already scheduled to participate in the WCL 2026. According to the official schedule, Pakistan were supposed to play Bangladesh Champions on October 3 in Sharjah in their opening match and later play against India on October 10 in Dubai.Naturally, the WCL authorities are caught off guard. They’ll either have to replace Pakistan fixtures or forfeit the entire tournament to avoid further controversies.Also Read - Ricky Ponting, David Warner Join Australian Cricket Team For Upcoming T20 TournamentWhat went wrong between India and Pakistan in WCL 2025?It’s important to note that PCB’s action comes after a major controversy rocked the WCL 2025 edition. That year, India Champions reportedly refused to play Pakistan Champions after the Pahalgam terrorist attack and the military confrontation that followed.Despite that, Pakistan Champions reached the final, where South Africa Champions defeated them. However, PCB had criticised India then, saying their patriotism is selective and that politics should be kept away from the sport.Notably, it’s still unclear if India Champions will participate in WCL 2026 since they withdrew in 2025. But with Pakistan already out, India will likely go ahead with the schedule.WCL 2026 to be held in UAE this yearThe World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2026 is scheduled between October 3 and 18 in the UAE. This will be the first time the tournament will be held outside of the UK. India, Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa and West Indies will participate in the event as Pakistan is reportedly ruled out. Bangladesh, notably, will be making their debut this year. Former Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah Riyad is among the names associated with the team. For Season 3, organisers have moved the competition to the United Arab Emirates, with matches in Dubai and Sharjah. WCL founder and CEO Harshit Tomar said the UAE move was intended to make the third season special and provide fans with a different experience.Also Read - Meet Lakshya Raichandani, The 17-Year-Old India Batter Who Scored A Double Century vs Australia
