Indian blind cricket team is not allowed to go to Pakistan, PCB should understand India's stand

The Indian team was to leave for Pakistan for the Blind Cricket T20 World Cup but due to security reasons, the Ministry of External Affairs has not approved it.

New Delhi. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which is adamant on organizing the Champions Trophy (ICC CT 2025) at home, has received indications of another major setback. India has also refused to send its blind cricket team to Pakistan. Blind T20 World Cup is being organized here, for which the team had to go to Pakistan. In this regard, the Ministry of External Affairs did not allow the team to go there due to security concerns. The national federation gave this information on Tuesday. Now the Indian Blind Cricket Team will not participate in the T20 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is moving ahead on the path of organizing the Champions Trophy at home next year. But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already made it clear to the ICC that it will not send its team to Pakistan for this tournament. After this, ICC has advised PCB to organize this tournament on hybrid model. But Pakistan, which has won the hosting of this tournament, is not ready for it.

Blind T20 cricket tournament is to be organized in Pakistan from 23 November to 3 December. For this competition, the Indian team had to cross the Wagah border on Wednesday. The Sports Ministry had also given No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the Indian Blind Team to participate in this tournament. But approval could not be obtained from the Ministry of External Affairs.

Indian Blind Cricket Association (IBCA) general secretary Shailendra Yadav told PTI, 'We have been informed informally that the visually impaired team will not be allowed to go to Pakistan. We had to go to Wagah border tomorrow. But no approval has been received from the ministry officials yet. So we are a little disappointed.

Yadav said, 'They are saying that when the mainstream cricket team is not safe then how can you be safe there. Of course we will accept the decision but why was the decision kept till the last moment. Why were we not told a month or 25 days in advance? There is a process.