The Pakistan cricket team has had to cancel their plans to travel to Dubai ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 being held in India.
According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, the team is yet to receive their visas and has had to cancel their team-bonding trip to the UAE in light of the situation. Instead of flying out from Dubai, they will now leave for Delhi directly from Lahore, the report adds. The applications for visas are said to have been submitted over a week ago.
ALSO READ: FOOTBALL: Lionel Messi and Inter Miami return to MLS action
The Pakistani squad will first go up against New Zealand in a warm-up match on September 29 which will be played behind closed doors in Hyderabad for security reasons.
It is believed as the city is staging two major religious festivals on the same door the police are unable to provide satisfactory security to the players.
ALSO READ: UAE: Central bank hits pause on interest rate hikes
Pakistan are scheduled to play a second warm-up match against Australia on October 3 also at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad.
However, unconfirmed sources have stated that the visas will be granted in time to allow the 1992 World Cup champions to travel to India on Wednesday, September 27, where they will join the nine other teams participating in the October 5 to November 19 cricketing showpiece.
This will be Pakistan’s first visit to India since the 2016 T20 World Cup. All-rounder Mohammad Nawaz is the only member of that squad to have played in India It will be the first trip for all the other members of Pakistan’s 15-man World Cup squad to their geographical neighbours.
FOR MORE SPORTS NEWS CLICK HERE
