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Pakistan Fans, Media Await Visa Clearance To Watch The Team Play World Cup In India 

image-lnfp83ogPakistan fans have yet not received their visas [Twitter]

Frustration continues for Pakistan fans and media personnel awaiting visa clearance from Indian authorities for the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 across the border. 

Even as Babar Azam & company received a heartening welcome on Indian territory in Hyderabad, the Asian Giants played their opening game in the city on Friday (October 6) without their fans or media contingent present at the venue.

The only form of Pakistani representation in the stands was held by Mohammad Bashir, who is famously known in the cricketing fraternity as 'Bashir Chacha' and is now a resident of the USA based in Chicago, which would've made it significantly easier for him to receive a visa clearance on time for the World Cup. 

Even Bashir required a ticket issued to him as a friendly gesture by one of the members of the Babar-led Pakistani team that would've cherished a bigger turnout with fans from Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and elsewhere from Pakistan allowed to travel to Hyderabad. 

Fans, Media From Pakistan Await Visa for 2023 World Cup

The bigger shock, however, was the absence of media personnel from Pakistan for the Pakistan-Netherlands clash even as former cricketer and commentator Waqar Younis, pre-broadcaster member Zainab Abbas, statistician Mazher Arshad were given the go-ahead signal from the Indian authorities for the World Cup. 

In a report published by Sportstar, a source privy to the developments within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) alleged as many as 60 journalists had applied for Indian visas for the duration of the tournament. The list of journalists applying for the media accreditation was initially mailed to the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) by the International Cricket Council (ICC). However, no visas were provided.

"Till now there is no word about the visas, and the World Cup has already started. This is not what we expected, but we are still hoping that the Indian government clears the visas," a PCB source told Sportstar with HCA returning the accreditation cards to the BCCI for now. 

"These cards can be misused if they fall into wrong hands, and it’s a very sensitive matter. We don’t want to take any risks, as there will be a huge inflow of media from different places and other countries. We have not received any communication from the BCCI or the ICC," a senior HCA official said.

The PCB is hoping for the ICC to intervene in the matter and communicate with the Indian government and travelling authorities regarding the issue as soon as possible.