Blind Cricket World Cup 2018: Pakistan changes schedule after India’s ‘denial’

KARACHI - The schedule of the Fifth Edition of Blind Cricket World Cup has to be changed because of the Indian Foreign Ministry’s ‘verbal denial’ to its team’s clearance, announced Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) on Wednesday.

It said that “despite numerous earnest efforts of Cricket Association of the Blind in India (CABI) and PBCC of getting clearance of Indian Blind Cricket team to tour Pakistan to play the forthcoming World Cup matches is still held in abeyance by the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs”.

“Indian Foreign Ministry has not in written denied the Indian team’s participation in the Blind Cricket World but Cricket Association of the Blind in India (CABI) told us that Foreign Office has denied ‘verbally’,” PBCC Chairman Syed Sultan Shah said in a statement.

The statement added that the unprecedented delay or verbal denial from Indian Foreign Office has compelled PBCC to change the schedule of the World Cup at the last minute.

The Indian team was scheduled to arrive in Lahore on January 6 and first match was scheduled against Pakistan at Gaddafi Stadium on January 8.

The federal and the Punjab governments have assured foolproof security for the World Cup and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is also providing their bullet-proof vehicles for the teams’ traveling.

Now Indian team will arrive in UAE on January 6 and will play its first match against Australia on January 8, the PBCC statement further pointed out.–APP