Pakistan cricket team's issue regarding visa to travel to India was finally resolved less than 48 hours to go for their scheduled departure to the neighbouring country for ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had written to the ICC with regard to the delay in the issuance of a visa as the team canceled their team-bonding activity in Dubai because of the delay, but as per reports, the visa was cleared on Monday, September 25.
As per a Cricbuzz report, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that the visas were cleared for the Pakistan team by the Indian government. Hence, the PCB was informed by the Indian High Commission in Pakistan about the collection of the passports of the Pakistan contingent.
The report stated that the delay in the submission of applications by PCB was the reason for the delay. PCB submitted passports on September 19 only after the whole team had come back from Sri Lanka where they were involved in the Asia Cup and the constant to and fro between the two countries didn't help in submitting the applications early, which was the plan as passports were needed for the same.
And, given the diplomatic relations between the two countries, a 10-day window is normal from the application to approval given it has to go through External Affairs and Home ministries among others.
The confirmation came hours after PCB expressed their concerns over the 'extraordinary delay' in the approval of visas. Pakistan team is set to leave their home country on Wednesday, September 27 morning for Dubai from where they will arrive in Hyderabad in the evening on the same day.
Pakistan will take on New Zealand in their first warm-up game at Hyderabad's Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on Friday, September 29 followed by a second warm-up game against Australia on Tuesday, October 3 at the same venue. Pakistan will play their first four games in Hyderabad only, including two warm-ups. The first warm-up match will be played behind closed doors after the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) mentioned that they will not be able to provide security due to festivals of Ganpati Visarjan and Milad Un Nabi.
