Pakistan have been made to feel welcome since team Pakistan arriving in India for ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 but visa related issue for Pakistani cricket fans and journalists raised a serious concern.
India vs Pakistan matches considered as the most anticipated games in the ODI Cricket World Cup 2023. At this point, it looks like many Pakistani fans would not be able to enjoy the event.
PCB board has written to the ICC and BCCI about the issue, but this is the first public statement of officials since the World Cup started.
PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf has raised serious concern about the continuing visa delay for Pakistani cricket fans and journalists to travel to the ODI World Cup 2023 in India.
Zaka has met Pakistani foreign secretary Syrus Sajjad Qazi, requesting him to take the issue up with India’s home ministry. PCB has again reminded BCCI and ICC of their respective obligations.
“It is an ICC event, ICC should have ensured all of this was resolved before the ODI World Cup started.”
PCB said that “We are extremely disappointed to see that journalists and fans from Pakistan are still facing the issue about obtaining an Indian visa to cover and enjoy Team Pakistan’s matches in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.”
The ICC had said that it was working with the BCCI to push for visas for journalists from Pakistan for the coverage of the tournament. There is no clarity on how many cricket fans from Pakistan may finally be able to cross the border.
ICC president (and former PCB chairman) Ehsan Mani said that the BCCI and ICC had guaranteed that visas for Pakistani nationals would not be an issue at all. Also said that “Any country that hosts an ICC event signs up to a hosting agreement that clearly says the host country will facilitate the visas of officials, team, journalists and fans.”
And both the BCCI and the ICC promised that this would be no problem.
Visas of Team Pakistan for the World Cup 2023 were issued only a day before they were scheduled to fly out, forcing them to cancel a pre-World Cup training in Dubai.Team Pakistan has been in Hyderabad, where they received a warm welcome reception on arrival.