Pakistan cricket group gets last-minute visa approval for World Cup 2023 in India

With less than 48 hours prior to their set up departure to Hyderabad for the upcoming World Cup, the Pakistan cricket group lastly acquired their Indian visas late on Monday night. This advancement followed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) sent out a strongly-worded letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) revealing their issues about the extended hold-up in getting Indian visas for the World Cup, set to start on October 5 in Ahmedabad.

The group, led by captain Babar Azam, will now leave Lahore for Dubai early on Wednesday early morning, followed by a flight to Hyderabad in the afternoon. Their very first practice match versus New Zealand is slated for Friday.

Initially, Pakistan had actually prepared a two-day training school in Dubai on Monday and Tuesday prior to their Hyderabad journey. Due to the visa hold-up, the PCB had to cancel the camp and reschedule the flights for Wednesday. Irritated by the hold-up, the PCB connected to the ICC about the circumstance, and it was around 8 PM IST that the Indian High Commission gave the visas for the Pakistani group.

In their letter to the ICC, the PCB mentioned, “There has actually been a remarkable hold-up in getting clearance and protecting Indian visas for the Pakistan group for the ICC World Cup. We have actually composed to the ICC raising our issues about inequitable treatment towards Pakistan and advising them of their responsibilities towards the World Cup.” The PCB even more revealed frustration over the unpredictability the group needed to sustain simply days prior to the significant competition.

PCB representative Umar Farooq laid out the visa application procedure: “We sent out the very first batch of passport information for the Indian visa application on August 18 to the ICC. The ICC sent out the visa invite letter on August 28. After the group’s return from the Asia Cup on September 15, we sent the visa applications, together with passports, at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on September 19.”

This visa problem is the most recent chapter in Pakistan’s journey to the World Cup. Previously, the PCB had actually thought about withdrawing from the competition in India after the BCCI decreased to take part in the Asia Cup kept in Pakistan. The Pakistan group ultimately took a trip to Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup after getting clearance from their Foreign Ministry.