Pakistan Champions have withdrawn from the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) after their demand for a written apology from the Indian team was rejected by the tournament organisers, according to sources.

The development is linked to last year’s edition, when India Champions refused to play against Pakistan Champions following the Pahalgam terror attack.

The group-stage match between the two teams was called off. Pakistan later reached the final after being awarded a walkover in the semi-final, with India sticking to its decision not to play.

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PCB Sought Written Apology

According to NDTV sources, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had initially been reluctant to issue No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to its players for the tournament.

The board eventually agreed to grant the NOCs but put forward a condition. It wanted the Indian team to issue a written apology over its decision not to play against Pakistan in the previous edition.

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The WCL organisers, however, rejected the demand.

The PCB also asked the organisers to confirm that they would have no objection if Indian players decided against taking part in the tournament.

Following the developments, Pakistan Champions decided to withdraw from the competition.

The WCL, meanwhile, described the withdrawal as being due to “unforeseen circumstances”.

India Had Refused to Face Pakistan in 2025

The issue dates back to the 2025 edition of the WCL. India Champions refused to play their scheduled matches against Pakistan Champions amid tensions between the two countries following the Pahalgam terror attack.

The two teams were initially due to meet in the group stage, but India Champions pulled out of the fixture.

The teams were then drawn to face each other again in the semi-final. India maintained its stance and did not take the field, resulting in Pakistan Champions advancing to the final via a walkover.

India Squad Had Several Former Stars

The Indian team featured several former international players, including Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan and Robin Uthappa. India’s decision meant that the scheduled group-stage and semi-final clashes against Pakistan did not take place.