Pakistan Champions Confirm WCL Season 3 Exit After PCB NOC Refusal

Pakistan Champions will miss the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) Season 3 after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided not to grant NOCs to the players involved with the team.

The team’s owner, Kamil Khan, had approached the PCB to reverse the decision and held talks with the board in an effort to find a way for Pakistan Champions to compete in the tournament.

However, the PCB stood firm on its stance, deciding not to grant the team permission following the incidents that occurred last year in the league.

Pakistan Champions announced the decision in a detailed statement, saying they respect the directives of the PCB and are thus withdrawing from the tournament.

"Pakistan Champions regret to confirm that the team will not be able to participate in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL), following the Pakistan Cricket Board's decision to uphold its refusal to issue the required NOC," said Pakistan Champions in a statement.

"We respect PCB's authority and its decision, while naturally being disappointed that our players will not have the opportunity to represent Pakistan Champions at this global gathering of cricketing legends.” added the statement.

"We sincerely thank our players, supporters and fans for their patience, understanding and continued support." added the statement.

Talking about the participation issue, the problem goes back to the previous WCL season in August 2025. At the time, India Champions refused to play their scheduled matches against Pakistan Champions, including the much-awaited semi-final, due to political tensions.

After the incident, the PCB raised concerns over the way WCL officials handled the matter. The board accused the organizers of showing "double standards", allowing political issues to affect the league and giving more importance to commercial interests than the spirit of the game.

Following this, the PCB decided that its players would not be allowed to take part in future editions of the league. The board kept the same position ahead of the October 2026 season.

This meant Pakistan players, including captain Shahid Afridi, could not travel for the tournament or play in it. As a result, he was also not present at this year’s trophy unveiling ceremony in Dubai. His absence made it clear that the PCB was not willing to budge on its stance, and the latest decision has now confirmed it completely.