The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has voiced its deep concerns to the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding what it calls “extraordinary delays” in the issuance of Indian visas for the national cricket team, just days before the highly anticipated World Cup is set to kick off.
PCB spokesperson Umar Farooq expressed disappointment, stating, “We have communicated our concerns to the ICC, highlighting the inequitable treatment faced by Pakistan and reminding them of their obligations towards the World Cup. It’s disheartening that the Pakistan team is grappling with uncertainty on the eve of this major tournament.”
The PCB has been in correspondence with the ICC for the past three years, emphasizing the importance of timely visa processing. However, with less than 48 hours remaining before the national team’s scheduled departure, the team is yet to receive the necessary visas. This delay has forced the team to cancel its pre-World Cup team bonding event in Dubai.
Notably, Pakistan is the sole participating team among the nine teams traveling to India for the event that has not received visas at this time.
The team’s original travel plans have been disrupted due to the visa delays. They were initially scheduled to leave for Dubai on September 25 and spend two days there before departing for Hyderabad, India, for two warm-up matches against New Zealand on September 29 and Australia on October 3. Pakistan’s first official World Cup match against the Netherlands is slated for October 6.
The visa application process, as reported by ESPNcricinfo, commenced over a week ago, but progress has been minimal. Fans and journalists intending to attend the tournament have also faced difficulties, with the Indian High Commission’s website remaining inaccessible for visa applications.
Consequently, some visa seekers have resorted to using VPNs to access the website. Journalists accredited with the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the ICC have encountered similar challenges.
The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Sports Journalists Association has issued a statement expressing concerns over these visa hiccups. They have appealed to the Indian High Commission to consider accepting hand-filled visa applications to expedite the process, given the limited time remaining before the commencement of this prestigious sporting event.
