Pakistan cricket team are currently the only team among the 9 sides without visa ahead of the 2023 World Cup, set to begin on October 5th. According to reports, the visa applications were made over a week ago, highlighting the complex situation between India and Pakistan due to the political tension.
Reports also claim that the entire Pakistan contingent were due to fly to the UAE early next week and stay there for a couple of days before leaving for Hyderabad, which will host their first warm-up game against New Zealand on September 29th. Instead, the Men in Green are likely to fly out of Lahore to Dubai early next Wednesday and go to Hyderabad from there.
The travel situation between the two countries for either sides have become extremely limited over the last decade due to the complex and cumbersome nature of visa process. India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13 when the latte toured the neighboring nation.
PCB finally announce World Cup squad, but suffer massive injury blow:
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) finally announced the squad for the 2023 World Cup, but will miss the services of fast-bowling sensation Naseem Shah. The right-arm speedster suffered a shoulder injury during Asia Cup 2023 and will go for surgery, which is likely to rule him out for the entire year.
As a result, the PCB has chosen Hassan Ali, who will mark his return to national colours for the first time since September 2022.
Squad: Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim
