Mumbai, Aug 1 (IANS) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has put a ban on using the name of the country in teams representing it in private cricket leagues following the fiasco in the World Championships of Legends (WCL) in which Indian players refused to play against the ‘Pakistan Champions’.

According to a report in Telecom Asia Sport(www.telecomasia.net), the PCB has decided to pull the plug on the use of the country’s name in private cricket leagues after the ongoing WCL in the UK was made out to be a clash between India and Pakistan.

“The decision was taken after a detailed discussion in the Board of Directors meeting on Thursday,” sources told www.telecomasia.net on Friday. “The high-level authorities felt Indian players refusing to play Pakistan in the WCL’s second edition twice is hurtful to the name of the country.”

In the future, no permission will be given to any private organization to use the name of the country for private leagues. However, the current Pakistan Legends team will be allowed to play Saturday’s final against South Africa.

The reports said that various private organisations have used the name of Pakistan to feature in minor and low-profile leagues in Zimbabwe, Kenya, and the USA.

“All private organizations will face legal action in case they use Pakistan’s name. PCB has the sole right to allow its use for cricket events if it finds the authenticity of the League and the organization as reputable,” the report quoted sources close to the PCB as saying.

It is also learnt that the Pakistan government and the IPC (Inter-provincial coordination committee), which is looking after the sports in the country, has sent an advisory to the PCB to control the use of the country’s name in private cricket leagues in the future.

–IANS

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