Pakistan’s pre-World Cup team-building trip to Dubai has been canceled due to unexpected delays in securing travel visas for their upcoming visit to India, where they are set to participate in the upcoming mega-event next month.
Initially, the Pakistan team had planned to depart for the UAE next week, spending a few days there before heading to Hyderabad. This was all in preparation for their first warm-up match against New Zealand scheduled for September 29. However, due to ongoing visa delays, the team is now scheduled to leave Lahore for Dubai early next Wednesday and then proceed to Hyderabad for their preparations.
This unexpected turn of events has raised concerns within the team, shining a spotlight on the complexities and challenges associated with travel and diplomacy between Pakistan and India.
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According to ESPNcricinfo, Pakistan is the only team among the nine participating in the World Cup that is still awaiting visas for their travel to India. This situation underscores the strained political relations between the neighboring nations. Historically, obtaining visas for travel between these countries has been a difficult and often protracted process.
Cross-border cricket engagements have become increasingly rare. Since Pakistan’s visit to India for a white-ball series in 2012-13, there hasn’t been a bilateral series where either team has traveled to the other’s country.
The visit in 2012-13 was an exception amid a steady deterioration in relations between the two nations since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. Over the past decade, Pakistan has toured India only once, for the T20 World Cup in March 2016.
It’s worth noting that only two players from Pakistan’s current squad have prior experience playing cricket in India. Mohammad Nawaz was part of Pakistan’s T20 World Cup squad in 2016, and Agha Salman represented Lahore Lions in the Champions League T20.
