Reports: Pakistan Blind cricket team gets visa clearance from MHA for Blind Cricket World Cup 2022

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a visa clearance for the 34 players and officials of the Pakistan blind cricket team for participating in the Blind Cricket World Cup in India. It is a 12-day tournament that was scheduled to be played between December 5-17.

Pakistan were originally scheduled to face South Africa in their campaign opener on Tuesday, December 6. But since they could not make it to India on time, the Cricket Association for Blind in India (CABI) had gone on to announce that the neighbouring country will not be participating in the tournament despite their best efforts to process the application for the visas. As a result, a revised schedule was drawn.

"With reference to the information received from the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council, Pakistan Blind Cricket Team will not be able to participate in the ongoing 3rd T20 World Cup for the Blind, being held in India in spite of CABI taking all required steps to process their application for VISA. CABI will be releasing an updated tournament schedule on account of Pakistan’s non-participation very soon," the statement read.

PBCC was also unhappy with their players not getting visas

This had not gone down well with Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) and they had said that the decision has left their cricket team in a spot of bother. At the same time, the association also threatened that they would be taking stern action against India in order to refrain them from hosting future international tournaments.

“This unfortunate incident has left the Pakistan blind cricket team in the lurch. It was highly likely that Pakistan and India would have locked horns in the final of ongoing World Cup and considering the current form of Green Shirts, Pakistan had high chances to win the World Cup,” the PBCC said in a statement.

"It strongly condemns this discriminating act of India as sports should be above regional politics. Our counterpart Blind Cricket Association in India pleaded with their government for Pakistan’s clearance, but nothing was heard. This discriminating act will have serious consequences on global blind cricket as we at World Blind Cricket will take stern action against them and may not allow India to host future International events,” the PBCC added.

Other participants in the Blind Cricket World Cup 2022 include the likes of Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal. The tournament is scheduled to be played across five venues- Faridabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Indore and Bengaluru. The final will be hosted by Bengaluru. Meanwhile, with Pakistan's visa issue resolved, the team is now set to take part in the tournament.