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Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan bans future participation in WCL league over ‘hypocrisy,' alleged pro-India tilt
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Sunday announced it was issuing a 'blanket ban' on future participation in the World Championship of Legends (WCL) league, accusing it of being biased in favor of India. The WCL is a T20 tournament held in England every year. It features retired and non-contracted players from cricketing giants, including England, India, Pakistan, Australia, West Indies and South Africa. It is co-owned by Bollywood superstar Ajay Devgn and Harshit Tomar. The tournament became controversial when India refused to play Pakistan in the league stage of the match, and the WCL decided both teams would share the points. India again refused to play Pakistan in the semifinal stage of the tournament, with the Green Shirts advancing on to the final on Sunday. Several Indian players announced they would not take part in matches against Pakistan after the two nations engaged in the worst fighting in decades with each other in May. The WCL had said it respected India's decision to withdraw and Pakistan's willingness to compete. 'The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announces that it is issuing a blanket ban from future participation in the World Championship of Legends (WCL),' the PCB said in a press release following its 79th meeting of the Board of Governors. The PCB said it reviewed 'with considerable disappointment' the WCL's conduct of awarding points to a willfully forfeiting team, and the content of the press releases of the WCL announcing the cancelation of the scheduled India vs. Pakistan legends matches. It said the press releases were 'tainted with hypocrisy and bias.' 'The contents of the said press releases highlight a duality where the narrative of 'peace through sport' is selectively applied and sporting events are held hostage to political expediency and narrow commercial interests,' the cricket board added. The PCB said it has always advocated for the separation of sports and politics, adding that it believes cricket, like other international sports, should solely serve as a platform for goodwill, healthy competition, and mutual respect. 'For a tournament involving legendary players to be dictated by sentiments that undermine this fundamental principle is not only regrettable but also deeply concerning for the future of independent sporting events,' it added. 'The WCL's apology for 'hurting the sentiments', whilst being farcical, inadvertently acknowledges that the cancelation was not based on cricketing merit, but rather on succumbing to a specific nationalistic narrative,' it added. 'This bias, masquerading as sensitivity, sends an unacceptable message to the international sporting community.' The PCB said it can no longer condone participation in an event where the fundamental principles of fair play and 'unbiased administration' are compromised by external pressures. 'We cannot allow our players to be part of events where the spirit of the game is overshadowed by skewed politics that undermines the very essence of sportsmanship and the gentleman's game,' it added. Pakistan were beaten by South Africa in the final of the WCL on Sunday when the Proteas trounced the South Asian giants by nine wickets to claim the tournament.
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
McIntosh eases into 400 medley final, Marchand almost misses out
Summer McIntosh is on track to finish the world championships with a fourth gold medal after being fastest in the 400 meters individual medley heats while Leon Marchand nearly missed the men's final on the eighth and final day in Singapore on Sunday. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
Miyu Yamashita takes slim lead into final round at Women's Open
PORTHCAWL, Wales: Miyu Yamashita of Japan maintained her lead through three rounds of the AIG Women's Open despite stumbling to a 2-over par 74 on Saturday at Porthcawl, Wales. After holding a three-shot lead through the midway point of the tournament, Yamashita was at 9-under par through three rounds as her advantage was narrowed to a single shot heading into Sunday's final round. 'I think one of the main things is not missing in the wrong spots,' said Yamashita, whose best finish in a major was a tie for second at the 2024 Women's PGA Championship. 'Because I'm able to do that, that means I don't put myself in awkward positions and helps me not make those bogeys which can cost you so much at these championships.' A Lim Kim moved into second place at 8 under after a 5-under par 67 in the third round after a nine-hole stretch when she compiled four birdies. Andrea Lee of the United States also shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday and was alone in third place at 7 under. 'So honestly I'm not focused on the leader,' Kim said. 'I focus on my process and my shot and then my position. That's all.' A group of four tied for fourth place at 6 under included Japan's Minami Katsu and Rio Takeda, England's Charley Hull and American Megan Khang. Yamashita breezed to a 7-under par 65 in the second round to move into the lead but struggled to find that form Saturday. She was 1 over on the front nine with a bogey and eight pars. She was 1 over again on an eventful back nine that included three bogeys and two birdies. Yamashita was even par for the round through 13 holes until she recorded a pair of bogey 5s at No. 14 and 16. 'I'll be just looking at what went wrong and what went right and analyzing the day and make the improvements that hopefully will lead to a better round (Sunday),' Yamashita said. Yamashita and Takeda, who was alone in second place through two rounds, were the only members of the top 10 on the leaderboard to shoot over par Saturday. Takeda, who was Yamashita's playing partner, also was 2 over. Katsu had the low round of the day at 7-under 65 to put herself into contention by moving up 31 spots on the leaderboard. She got off to a slow start with a pair of bogeys on the first two holes before going on a red-hot run. Starting with a birdie 3 at No. 4, Katsu was 9 under over her final 15 holes in a stretch that included an eagle 3 at No. 6. 'Made two bogeys on the first three holes, but after that I was really focused on my swing,' Katsu said. 'I just had a really good image of my swing, and I kept that going, and here I am.' World No. 1 Nelly Korda stumbled to a 2-under 74 on Saturday to leave her at even par for the tournament in a tie for 36th place. England's Lottie Woad, who turned pro last week then won the Women's Scottish Open, shot a 1-under 71 and is at 3 under for the weekend to sit in a seven- way tie for 11th place. Defending champion Lydia Ko of New Zealand shot a 2-under 70 and was tied for 36th at even par.
