The Pakistan cricket team's participation in the Cricket World Cup, to be held in India from October 5 to November 19, is threatened by delays in obtaining visas. This situation is forcing Pakistan to review its preparations for this major sporting event.
Pakistani contingent still waiting for visas
The Pakistani team's players and officials are still waiting for their visas to travel to India. Their departure date, initially scheduled for September 27, has not yet been confirmed. This postponement has also led to the cancellation of a training camp scheduled to take place in Dubai.
According to sources within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), none of the 33 members of the Pakistani contingent, including players, reserves and officials, has yet obtained a visa from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. The PCB has raised this issue with the International Cricket Council (ICC).
A unique situation among all the participating teams
According to ESPNPakistan is the only one of the nine participating teams not yet to have received visas for the Cricket World Cup in India. So far, no official explanation for the delays has been given, either by the India BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India), which organizes the World Cup, or by the Indian government. The two countries have been at loggerheads for decades.
This situation led the PCB to consider playing Pakistan's matches in another country, such as Bangladesh. However, this proposal was rejected in August 2023 after the Pakistani government approved the team's trip to India.
The impact on preparations for the World Cup
- Dubai training camp cancelled: The postponement of the Pakistani contingent's departure led to the cancellation of the training camp planned in Dubai, where team-building exercises were on the agenda.
- Uncertainty about the preparatory matches: The Pakistani players were due to play their first warm-up match against New Zealand on September 29, then take on Australia on October 3. At this stage, it remains to be seen whether these matches will go ahead as planned.
Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Agha, the only players to have already visited India
Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Agha, the only players to have already visited IndiaOnly two members of the current Pakistan team have previously toured India to play cricket: Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Agha. This underlines the importance of this first visit to India for the rest of the team.
Pakistan, World Cup favourites despite setbacks
Despite organizational and visa worries, Pakistan are in good form on the pitch. On September 22, they won an important match against Australia in their first ODI (One Day International). This performance enabled them to overtake India in the world rankings.
With this latest victory and the status of world number one in ODIs now secured, the Pakistani team could approach the World Cup with serenity and confidence, if visa problems are resolved quickly.
Scheduled meetings for Pakistan in India
If the Pakistani players are finally able to obtain their visas, they will meet in the Cricket World Cup :
- The Netherlands on October 6 in Hyderabad,
- Sri Lanka on October 10, also in Hyderabad,
- And last but not least, India, in what promises to be a heated encounter on October 14 in Ahmedabad.
The swift and favourable completion of the administrative procedures is therefore essential if Pakistan is to participate fully in this event. Cricket World Cup in India and defend its chances.
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