World · India Bureau
Pakistan withdraws from World Champions League over India apology demand
The Pakistan Cricket Board has withdrawn its champion team from World Champions League Season 3 after tournament organisers refused to meet conditions set for the team's participation. The PCB had demanded written apologies from Indian players over a previous bilateral dispute and stipulated handshake protocols for the upcoming tournament.
LSN India ·
Pakistan has pulled out of the World Champions League Season 3 following a breakdown in negotiations with tournament organisers over participation conditions set by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The PCB had made the release of its no-objection certificate contingent on specific demands related to a prior India-Pakistan match controversy. According to reports, the board sought written apologies from Indian players regarding last year's bilateral engagement dispute and insisted on predetermined handshake protocols for the upcoming tournament. Tournament organisers declined to accept these preconditions, leading to Pakistan's withdrawal from the competition. The development marks a significant setback for the World Champions League, which had been positioned as a marquee Twenty20 event featuring top domestic teams from cricket-playing nations. Pakistan's champions team was expected to be a major draw for the tournament. The withdrawal reflects ongoing tensions between cricket boards over match conduct and player interactions, issues that have periodically complicated bilateral and multilateral cricket arrangements in South Asia.