The Pakistan Cricket Board has reportedly written to the International Cricket Council expressing their concern over the delay in getting Indian visas ahead of the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023.
Pakistan is the only team which is yet to get their visas for their travel to India. The players and support staff are scheduled to leave for Hyderabad on Wednesday.
The 33-member Pakistani contingent will first travel to Dubai early morning, transit there and arrive in Hyderabad on the evening of September 27.
PCB writes to ICC
"There has been an extraordinary delays 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 the uncertainty ahead of the major tournament.
"We have been reminding about their obligations from last three years and it has all come down to last two days with our first warm game scheduled on September 29. We were forced to cancel our original plan to organise team-building exercise in Dubai on the way to India. We have had to rework our plan and book new flights, but these plans are subject issuance of visas," PCB spokesperson Umar Farooq told PTI.
Why the delay in getting visas?
But they are still waiting to get the visas from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
When it comes to issuing an Indian visa to a Pakistan passport holder, clearances need to come from three ministries home, external affairs and sports.
The PCB has asked the ICC about the steps the global body is taking to resolve the situation, as well as whether written guarantees had been provided by the hosts - the BCCI, in this case, or the Indian government - that visas would be provided to all participating nations.
"Since the last week PCB is being informed that the visas will be received within 24 hours; but still awaiting and it has been indicated that the Indian Home Ministry has not granted NOC," the spokesperson added.
Pakistan's scheduled before World Cup
Pakistan is scheduled to play a warm-up game against New Zealand in Hyderabad on September 29. The Men in Green will then play the second practice game against Australia in the same city on October 3.
They will remain in Hyderabad their opening two World Cup games against Netherlands and Sri Lanka on October 6 and 10 respectively before flying to Ahmedabad for the marquee clash against hosts India on October 14.
