The much-discussed visa issues that had been vexing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have finally been sorted out. The issue being resolved means that the Babar Azam-led side is cleared to travel to India ahead of the ODI World Cup 2023.The same was confirmed by the ICC (International Cricket Council) that the Indian government has cleared the visa issues, and the Pakistani side is cleared for travel. Furthermore, the confirmation comes after the PCB reported the matter to the ICC, as they complained about an extraordinary delay in the visa issuing, which was delaying their trip to India.
However, several reports came forward that stated that the delay was caused by the PCB submitting their applications late. Furthermore, the delay also happened due to the political tensions between India and Pakistan which require a 10-day process to be cleared before visas can be issued, as the External Affairs and Home Ministry are involved in the clearance of Pakistan visas. Speaking of Pakistan’s on-field assignments, the side will be travelling to India and competing in two World Cup warm-up matches against New Zealand and Australia on September 29 and October 3, respectively. Meanwhile, BCCI confirmed that the official World Cup warm-up fixture between New Zealand and Pakistan, scheduled to take place in Hyderabad on September 29 will be played behind closed doors as per the advice of the local security agencies. The match in Hyderabad coincides with festivals on the day and large gatherings are expected around the city. The spectators who bought tickets for the game will receive a full refund.
