After the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expressed grave concerns to the international governing body regarding the national team's delayed trip to Hyderabad, the International Cricket Council stated on Monday that Pakistani cricket team members have been granted Indian visas for the ODI World Cup.
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| ICC World Cup 2023 |
After the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expressed grave concerns to the international governing body regarding the national team's delayed departure to Hyderabad, the International Cricket Council (ICC) stated on Monday that Pakistani cricket team members have been granted Indian visas for the ODI World Cup.
Less than 48 hours before Pakistan was supposed to depart for India in the early hours of September 27, the visa was cleared. On September 29, they face New Zealand in Hyderabad in their opening exhibition game.
Pakistan has received visas, an ICC spokeswoman told PTI.
India-Pakistan will play each other on October 15 in Ahmedabad as part of the 2023 ICC One-Day International World Cup.
However, uncertainty over the granting of visas persisted in the Pakistani camp.
"We have not yet received a call on visa clearance from the Indian High Commission. A member of our staff is stationed there, according to PCB spokeswoman Umar Farooq, who spoke to PTI.
The PCB wrote to ICC CEO Geoff Allardice on Monday on the visa delay and said that the nervous wait had negatively hampered the team's preparation for the 50-over showcase. The PCB received the ICC's confirmation on Tuesday.
Due to the uncertainties surrounding Indian visas, Pakistan's two-day team-bonding retreat in Dubai before their scheduled arrival in Hyderabad on September 27 was cancelled.
In Hyderabad, the Babar Azam-led team plays two exhibition games before playing as many World Cup games as necessary, beginning with the matchup against New Zealand.
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| Babar Azam |
The PCB also complained that their issues over the issuance of visas to players, team officials, supporters, and journalists for the World Cup in India had not been addressed for more than three years in the letter addressed to Allardice. It further stated that Pakistan will not put up with such unfair behaviour.
Farooq reiterated his worries and continued, "There have been unprecedented delays in obtaining clearance and Indian visas for the Pakistani team for the ICC World Cup.
"We have written to the ICC to express our concerns about Pakistan's unfair treatment and to remind them of their responsibilities in relation to the World Cup. The Pakistani team's experience with the ambiguity before the important competition is disappointing.
The last time Pakistan visited India was in 2016 for the T20 World Cup. Due to the poor relations between the two nations, the archrivals only meet in the Asia Cup and ICC competitions.
As a result of the cancellation of the trip to Dubai, 35 or so members' airline reservations have been changed, according to PCB sources. The team will now depart Lahore for Hyderabad in the early morning of September 27 and travel through Dubai to arrive in Hyderabad that evening.
"With less than four days till the warm-up game, players are uncertain. One can only wonder what will happen to fan and journalist visa applications if the players are experiencing delays, a source added.
Pakistani visa requests must have approval from the home, external affairs, and sports ministries.
Australia will be the opponent for Pakistan's second exhibition match on October 3 in Hyderabad.
Before travelling to Ahmedabad for the pivotal match against the hosts India on October 14, they will stay in the city for their initial two World Cup games against the Netherlands and Sri Lanka on October 6 and 10, respectively.
Only Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Agha of the current Pakistani cricket team have visited India.
.webp)
