Pakistan set to cancel pre-World Cup team bonding trip to Dubai due to visa delay

The Pakistan Cricket Board are confident the team will reach India in time for their first warm-up match.

Pakistan set to cancel pre-World Cup team bonding trip to Dubai due to visa delay

The Pakistan Cricket Team is all set to cancel a team bonding trip to Dubai as they have still not received their visas to travel to India. The team was supposed to travel to Dubai a few days before the start of the warm-up matches and spend a few days in the city before leaving for Hyderabad. 

Pakistan are the only team from the 9 visiting teams to have not received a visa yet. The Pakistan Cricket Board are confident that the team would be in Hyderabad in time to play their first warm-up match against New Zealand, where they will play without any spectators in the stadium. 

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Since 2012, Pakistan has only traveled to India for the 2016 ICC T20I World Cup, while India last toured Pakistan in 2007. The hostile relationship between India and Pakistan has been one of the main reasons the two countries don’t play bilateral series against each other. The Indian team didn’t get clearance to travel to Pakistan to participate in the 2023 Asia Cup. Due to this, the tournament was played in a hybrid model, where India played all their matches in Sri Lanka. Despite being the main hosts, only 4 matches were played in Pakistan. 

Related: “I would actually be happy,” AB de Villiers gives verdict on alleged rift between Pakistani players after Asia Cup exit

Mohammed Asif claims ex-Pakistan captain is lobbying Shaheen Afridi to replace Babar Azam

Pacer Mohammed Asif claims Shahid Afridi is trying to influence the PCB into appointing his son-in-law, Shaheen Afridi, to replace Babar Azam as captain. Pakistani journalist, Farid Khan, reported Asif made this claim and said the PCB doesn’t want to change, but Shahid is trying his hardest. 

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With rumors of the rift between Shaheen Afridi and Babar Azam spreading around, Mohammed Asif claims Shahid Afridi is trying to make his son-in-law the new Pakistan Captain. (Image via ESPN)

Shaheen Afridi has won the Pakistan Super League twice as a captain with Lahore Qalandars. Shahid Afridi already denied this rumor on television, saying people intercept whatever he says the way they want.

Pakistan will start their ODI World Cup campaign on October 6 against the Netherlands. Against India, Babar Azam and Co. will lock horns on October 14 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

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