Pakistan Cricket Board cancels group bonding session in Dubai because it awaits Indian visa 10 days earlier than the event.

Pakistan cricket group’s preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India have been disrupted attributable to a visa delay that has delayed the facet’s departure for the occasion that will get underneath approach in 10 days.

The squad and officers had been scheduled to depart for the United Arab Emirates final week for a two-day group bonding session in Dubai earlier than continuing to India the place they tackle the Netherlands of their first match on October 6.

However, a delay in receiving visas for the contingent has left the group’s plans in disarray, with decades-old thorny ties between the 2 nations coming to the fore as soon as once more.

“We had planned to spend two days in Dubai [September 25 and 26] before flying to Hyderabad [India] ahead of the team’s pre-tournament warm-up matches,” a spokesperson of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) instructed Al Jazeera.

“However, we had to cancel the team bonding session due to a delay in receiving our visas from India.”

The group is now scheduled to depart for the southern Indian metropolis of Hyderabad on September 27 supplied the visas are obtained in time.

“We will fly to Hyderabad via Dubai in the early hours of Wednesday, but this is [again] subject to the arrival of visas.”

Cross-border rigidity

Both nations have been bitter rivals since their independence from British rule in 1947. They have fought three wars since and have stern restrictions on cross-border actions of their residents.

Direct flights between India and Pakistan have been suspended for greater than 4 years following a souring of ties over New Delhi’s controversial transfer to revoke the special status of Indian-occupied Kashmir.

Pakistan’s cricket group final travelled to India in 2016 to take part within the T20 Cricket World Cup, whereas India has not despatched its cricket group to Pakistan since 2006.

The final bilateral collection between the 2 groups came about in 2012.

The Foreigners Division of India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, which is accountable for issuing visas for overseas travellers, has not responded to Al Jazeera’s request for a remark.

Pakistan are scheduled to play the primary of their two pre-tournament warm-up matches in Hyderabad on September 29.

The event will get underneath approach in Ahmedabad on October 5.