The Pakistan team will not come to India for the T20 World Cup for the blind as the players didn't get their visas, Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) president Mahantesh GK said on Wednesday.
"Pakistan team is not coming to India, it is confirmed. They haven't got their visas," Mahantesh told PTI.
"Pakistan Team has collected passports from Indian High Commission in Islamabad today (7th December 2022) around 2:30 PM after receiving the passport collection e-mail from Indian High Commission but no visa has been issued to Pakistan team," Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) said in a statement.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had earlier given clearance to Pakistan's visually challenged team but the visa clearance didn't come on time from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
"The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has given clearance for the issuance of visas to 34 Pakistani players and officials to participate in the ongoing Blind Cricket World Cup 2022 in India.
MHA has cleared names of 34 players and officials of Pakistan Blind cricket team for World Cup in India after scrutiny," government sources had said.
Earlier, PBCC had taken to Twitter to share the news of India not granting them visas.
The statement read, "Pakistan Blind Cricket Council with sheer disappointment would like to update you that India has denied visas of Pakistan Blind Cricket Team to participate in T-20 World Cup Cricket of the Blind to be held in India from 5 to 17 December 2022."
The reason for the decline has been mentioned as Political grounds, and the statement adds says, "PBCC strongly condemned this discriminating act of India as Sports should be above the regional politics and particularly the Special Persons mega sports events would be treated fairly and all teams must be given equal chances to compete for the event."
(Inputs from PTI)
