Pakistan squad receive their visas two days before scheduled travel to India for World Cup 2023 - Reports
The ICC has just confirmed that the Indian government has approved the visas for the Pakistan squad for the 2023 World Cup. It comes less than 48 hours before the team is set to fly to Hyderabad via Dubai for their warm-up match against New Zealand on Friday, September 29.
The approval came on Monday, hours after the PCB had written to the ICC expressing its displeasure at the delay in the issuance of the visas.
"The Ministry of Home Affairs gives security clearance for the issue of visas," an Indian government spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo. "The process is underway."
The PCB is expected to receive the passports with visas for its squad on Monday evening.
The Pakistani board was in constant touch with the global governing body of cricket. They wrote to them to raise a complaint about such intolerable treatment that could have a telling effect on the team's preparations.
They also reportedly emailed about the steps the ICC intends to carry out and on the possible breach of the hosting agreement of the World Cup for the delay in the visa provision.
PCB spokesperson Umar Farooq said in a statement:
"There has been an extraordinary delay in getting clearance and securing Indian visas for the Pakistan team for ICC World Cup. We have written to ICC raising our concerns about inequitable treatment towards Pakistan and reminding them of these obligations towards the World Cup. It's a matter of disappointment that the Pakistan team has to go through this uncertainty ahead of the major tournament."
The statement continued:
"We have been reminding [the organisers] about their obligations from last three years and it has all come down to the last two days with our first warm game scheduled on September 29. We were forced to cancel our original plan to organise team-building exercises in Dubai on the way to India. We have had to rework our plan and book new flights, but these plans are subject to issuance of visas."
Per their revised itinerary, Pakistan are set to fly to Dubai on Wednesday before traveling to Hyderabad in the evening for their first warm-up fixture against New Zealand on Friday, September 29.
India and Pakistan renew their rivalry on October 14 in the 2023 World Cup
On the field of play, the arch-rivals, India and Pakistan, will face each other in the high-voltage clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14.
The Men in Blue have comprehensively dominated both the recent and the overall World Cup meetings in ODIs. They hold a 7-0 head-to-head record over Pakistan in World Cup clashes and have won the previous four meetings between the sides in 50-over contests.
Included are their 89-run victory in the 2019 edition and the 228-run thrashing Rohit Sharma's men handed out to the Men in Green in the recently concluded Asia Cup. Team India's domination of their Asian rivals extends further, with the side winning eight of the last ten meetings in ODIs.
The 2023 World Cup match-up will be the third game for both teams in their campaigns. India will open their campaign against Australia and Afghanistan, while Pakistan battle the Netherlands and Sri Lanka before the marquee clash.
Despite all the numbers pointing toward an Indian victory, they will be wary of Pakistan still leading the overall head-to-head 73-56 in ODIs.
While the Men in Green announced their final 15-member squad for the showpiece event, India will likely finalize their roster after the ODI series against Australia on September 27.