No visa for pak CL Team
India has refused visas to Pakistan team, Faisalabad Wolves, to participate in Champions League Twenty20 tournament scheduled to begin from September 17 against the backdrop of current tensions between the two countries.
The government’s decision not to give visas to the Pakistani team to participate in the limited over cricket tournament comes in the backdrop of recent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control creating tension between the two countries.
“As a matter of abundance precaution and caution in terms of safety and security, the government did not give green signal for the cricket team’s visit,” government sources said.
The Faisalabad team, led by national team skipper Misbah-ul Haq, were invited to play in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League T20 in India, starting on September 17.
The Faisalabad team’s participation in the CLT20 was confirmed until the LoC issues arose and that led to tensions between the two countries.
Last year, the BCCI had invited Pakistan to send its domestic T20 champions — Sialkot Stallions — for the Champions League which was held in South Africa.
The Sialkot Stallions, however, failed to qualify for the main round.
This year Faisalabad Wolves, by virtue of emerging as the national T20 champions, had earned the honour of representing Pakistan in the Champions League.
Last month, India had not granted visa to a Pakistani religious group to attend Urs here and suggested that they defer their visit in view of their safety and security.
According to reports, the PCB applied for visas in the last week of August despite the Indian cricket board not confirming the participation of the Faisalabad team in the league.
“We have been in regular contact with the BCCI over the participation of the Faisalabad Wolves team in the Champions League, but so far they have said they were awaiting final word from their government. But they advised us that we should continue our process to send the team to India like obtaining all travel documents and visas for them,” a PCB source was quoted as saying in an agency report on August 30.
The source said the PCB had started the process to obtain visas and other documents because even if the BCCI confirmation came late the team could travel at a short notice to India.
“The Faisalabad team players in Pakistan have also been advised to start their training for the league while Misbah and other players of the Faisalabad team like Saeed Ajmal will join the team directly from Zimbabwe,” the source had said.
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