NEW DELHI: The uncertainty surrounding Pakistan’s participation in the mega event ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 ended as India finally issued visas to the Pakistan team, the governing International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Monday.
The confirmation from ICC 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 team’s preparation for the World Cup.
PCB spokesperson Umar Farooq said that they have been asked to collect their passports from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, according to media reports.
Pakistan’s Participation in ODI World Cup 2023
Pakistan and India have suspended bilateral cricket, due to soured political ties between the neighbors, and play each other only in multi-team tournaments like the World Cup and Asia Cup.
Earlier in a strongly-worded statement, Umar Farooq decried the “inequitable treatment” metered out to the Pakistan team, which is scheduled to arrive in India on Wednesday.
He said that there has been an extraordinary delay in getting clearance and securing visas for the Pakistan team for the ICC World Cup.
He said that PCB has written to ICC raising its concerns about inequitable treatment towards the Pakistani team. It’s a matter of disappointment that the team has to go through the uncertainty ahead of the mega event.
Pakistan will play two warm-up fixtures before starting their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on 6 October. Arch-rivals Pakistan and India are set to clash in a mouth-watering 14 October match in Ahmedabad.
