The International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body of cricket, said visas had been awarded to the Pakistan side for them to participate in the 50-overs World Cup in India. This news came in response to criticisms that the procedure had taken too long.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had sent a letter of complaint about a visa delay to the governing body. In the letter, the PCB claimed the delay had interrupted the team’s preparation for the championship tournament across the border.
An International Cricket Council spokeswoman informed Reuters that “Visas have been issued to the Pakistan team,” but did not provide any more details.
Umar Farooq, a spokeswoman for the PCB, confirmed to Reuters that players had been asked to collect their passports from the Indian high office in Islamabad.
As a result of the deteriorating political climate between the two countries, India and Pakistan have agreed to only compete against one another in multi-team tournaments like the World Cup and the Asia Cup instead of in bilateral competitions.
Earlier, in a statement with forceful language, Farooq condemned what he referred to as the “inequitable treatment” of a Pakistan delegation slated to arrive in India on Wednesday.
“There has been an extraordinary delay in getting clearance and securing Indian visas for the Pakistan team for the ICC World Cup,” Farooq stated.
We have written to the ICC to express our concerns about Pakistan’s unfair treatment and remind them of their commitment to the World Cup.
“It’s a matter of great dissatisfaction that the Pakistan team has to go through the uncertainty prior to the major tournament,” said the commentator.
Before opening their World Cup campaign on October 6 against the Netherlands, Pakistan will compete in two exhibition matches to prepare for the tournament.
On October 14, a mouth-watering match between India and Pakistan, two fiercest rivals, is scheduled in Ahmedabad.
India elected not to go to Pakistan to compete in the Asia Cup, which took place between August 30 and September 17, and instead chose to play their matches in Sri Lanka.