Uncertainty Ends As India Issues Visas To Pakistani Cricket Team for World Cup 2023

Voice of The People Report: VOP Latest Breaking News From New Delhi, The uncertainty surrounding Pakistan participation in the most awaited ICC Men Cricket World Cup 2023 ended as India finally issued visas to the Pakistan teams, the governing International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday.

ICC Confirmation Comes after Pakistan Complaints of Visa Delay

ICC confirmation came after the complaints of a delay in the process of visa issuance.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had written to the governing body complaining about a visa delay which, it said, had disrupted the teams preparation for the showpiece events across the border.

PCB Complained to ICC Delay Disrupted Team’s Preparation for WC

“Visas have been issued to the Pakistan team,” an ICC spokesperson told Reuters without elaborating further.

PCB spokesperson Umar Farooq confirmed to Reuters they have been asked to collect their passports from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.

Says Team to Collect their Passports from Indian High Commission

India and Pakistan have suspended bilateral cricket, thanks to soured political relations between the neighbours, and play each other only in multi team events like the World Cup and Asia Cup.

Earlier in a strongly-worded statement, Farooq decried the “inequitable treatment” metered out to a Pakistan team, who are scheduled to arrive in India on Wednesday.

ODI World Cup 2023 Pakistani Players Issued Indian Visa – Says ICC

“There has been an extraordinary delay in getting clearance and securing Indian visas for the Pakistan team for the ICC World Cup,” Farooq said in the statement.

“We have written to ICC raising our concerns about inequitable treatment towards Pakistan and reminding them of these obligations towards the World Cup.

“It’s a matter of disappointment that’s the Pakistan team has to go through the uncertainty ahead of the major tournament.”

Indian Govt has Issued Visas for Pakistan Squad – PCB Confirms Sport

Pakistan will play two warm-up matches before beginning their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on Oct. 6.

Arch rivals India and Pakistan are set to clash in a mouth watering Oct. 14 contest in Ahmedabad.

India declined to tour Pakistan for the Asia Cup, which was played between August 30 and September 17, and played their matches in Sri Lanka instead.

Pakistan Squad for ICC World Cup 2023

Babar Azam (c)
Abdullah Shafique
Fakhar Zaman
Imam-ul-Haq
Iftikhar Ahmed
Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
Shadab Khan
Mohammad Nawaz
Usama Mir
Haris Rauf
M Wasim Jnr
Hasan Ali
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Saud Shakeel
Salman Ali Agha

Travelling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed, Zaman Khan.

Schedule of Pakistan’s Warm-Up Matches

>September 29 — vs New Zealand in Hyderabad

>October 3 — vs Australia in Hyderabad

Pakistan’s schedule for the ICC World Cup 2023

>October 6 — vs Netherlands in Hyderabad

>October 10 — vs Sri Lanka in Hyderabad

>October 14 — vs India in Ahmedabad

>October 20 — vs Australia in Bengaluru

>October 23 — vs Afghanistan in Chennai

>October 27 — vs South Africa in Chennai

>October 31 — vs Bangladesh in Kolkata

>November 4 — vs New Zealand Bengaluru (Day match)

>November 11 — vs England in Kolkata

The day matches which will start at 10:00 am Pakistan Standard Time (PST) while all other matches will be day-night fixtures starting at 01:30 pm (PST).

If Pakistan qualify for the semi finals, they’ll play in Kolkata.

If India qualify for the semi finals, they’ll play in Mumbai unless playing against Pakistan, in which case they will play in Kolkata.