The road to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 has been challenging for Pakistan. Their preparations for the prestigious tournament have hit a major roadblock due to visa issues, causing significant disruptions to their plans.
Pakistan’s World Cup 2023 campaign faced an unexpected obstacle as they encountered delays in obtaining visas for their squad and support staff. Among the nine participating teams, Pakistan has yet to secure the necessary visas for the tournament in India. This delay has raised concerns and disrupted the team’s carefully laid-out plans.
Originally, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had scheduled a two-day camp in Dubai as part of their preparations before flying to India. The team was set to depart for Dubai on Monday, stay there for a couple of days, and then take a flight to Hyderabad, where they would play warm-up matches before the main rounds begin.
However, the visa hurdles have forced Pakistan to alter its plans. Instead of staying in Dubai, they fly directly from Lahore to Dubai on Wednesday and then proceed to Hyderabad if they receive their visas on time. PCB officials remain hopeful that the visa approvals from India will come through before the team’s departure.
These visa delays bring to the forefront the enduring political tension between India and Pakistan. Travel and sporting exchanges between the two nations have been severely limited since the tragic Mumbai terror attacks 2008. This unfortunate incident not only resulted in a halt to bilateral cricketing ties but also had far-reaching implications for the relationship between the countries.
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Pakistan’s visa issues further underscore the ongoing standoff between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the PCB. This tension has manifested itself in various ways, affecting the scheduling and location of important cricketing events.
Furthermore, the World Cup match between India and Pakistan, originally scheduled for October 15 in Ahmedabad, faced issues due to a Hindu festival coinciding with the date. The Gujarat Police expressed their inability to provide adequate security arrangements, prompting the ICC to reschedule the match a day earlier.
Pakistan’s World Cup Squad: Babar Azam (captain), Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim
Traveling reserves: Zaman Khan, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Haris
