Cricket – Pakistan blind players await UAE visa for world cup

By Muhammad Asif Khan

Karachi – In an unprecedented development, the Pakistan team took the field without five of their main players against the arch-rival, India in a game of the ongoing Blind World Cup in Ajman, UAE. (Click here for video message from Sultan Shah President, PBCC)

Terming the situation disappointing the president of the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC), Sultan Shah urged the relevant quarters to resolve the issue at the earliest.

“We have been facing a lot of hardship in acquiring visa for our players despite untiring efforts, the situation is indeed disappointing. Apart from Pakistan, four Bangladesh players have also failed to get the UAE visa thus far”, Sultan Shah said

Badar Munir, Riyasat Khan, Sajid Nawaz, Mohsin Khan and Rashid failed to get UAE visa to travel to Ajman so far.

“Our staff has been in the UAE since January 2nd and in touch with relevant UAE authorities but to no avail so far. The treatment with the national heroes is embarrassing to say the least”, Sultan Shah added 

The fifth edition of the Blind Cricket World Cup is underway from January 8th in Pakistan and United Arab Emirates. Six teams including hosts Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka,

Bangladesh, Australia and Nepal are featuring in the tournament with the final match is scheduled to be played in Lahore on January 21st.

India, after refusing to travel to Pakistan, are playing their matches in Ajman, UAE.

“I appeal to both UAE and Pakistan governments to look into the matter on urgent basis”, Sultan Shah concluded

@mak_asif on twitter.

India blind cricketers to play in UAE amid tensions with Pakistan

Dubai : The Indian blind cricket team left for the United Arab Emirates today to take part in the World Cup after failing to secure permission to play in neighbouring Pakistan.

The fifth edition of the tournament starts Sunday and ends on January 21, with Australia and the West Indies also to be based in UAE due to security concerns.

India had been due to play archrivals Pakistan, who they beat in the 2014 Blind Cricket World Cup final, in Faisalabad on Monday.

But instead Pakistan has arranged for India’s games to be played in Ajman and Sharjah in the UAE because of tense relations between the nuclear-armed countries.

The fifth edition of the tournament starts Sunday and ends on January 21, with Australia and the West Indies also to be based in UAE due to security concerns.

The Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) told AFP it had to make the last-minute schedule change because the Indian government did not respond to its request for permission to go to Pakistan.

“We are yet to receive any official communication from them. Till they write to us we are not allowed to go. So all our matches are shifted to Dubai (Ajman),” CABI president G K Mahantesh said.

“If we reach the final then it will be shifted from Lahore to Sharjah,” he said late Friday before leaving with the team.

Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) expressed disappointment over the Indian foreign ministry’s silence on the event.

India and Pakistan’s senior cricket teams have not played a bilateral series since 2013 because of the tense political climate.

However Pakistan’s blind cricket team travelled to India for last year’s inaugural Twenty20 World Cup that was won by the host nation.

India won the 50-over World Cup for the Blind in 2014 in Cape Town, beating Pakistan in the final.

AFP