World Cup 2023: Pakistan's World Cup plans rattled as Babar Azam and co. yet to get visas for India

Pakistan's World Cup 2023 readiness has stumbled due to visa issues, causing them to scrap their intended two-day camp in Dubai ahead of their trip to India for the tournament.

Of the nine competing teams, Pakistan is the only one yet to obtain their Indian visas, according to ESPNCricinfo. The original plan of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was to depart for Dubai on Monday, sojourn there for two days, and catch a late Wednesday flight to Hyderabad.

Their schedule includes two preliminary matches; one against New Zealand on September 29 and another against Australia on October 3, both at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Hyderabad, before commencing the main rounds two days later.

Owing to the visa holdups, the proposed Dubai stay has been annulled. The plan is now to fly from Lahore to Dubai on Wednesday, and then onward to Hyderabad, assuming the visas are granted promptly. Views from the PCB are optimistic that the necessary visa consents for the Pakistani players and crew will be accorded by India before they leave for Hyderabad.

The visa hindrance is not a new occurrence, and aptly underscores the strained political relations between India and Pakistan.

Past the Mumbai terror incidents in 2008, transit between both nations has become increasingly restricted also affecting bilateral relations. Since then, only one series involving both nations has occurred, marked by the visit of the Misbah-ul-Haq-led Pakistani team to India for a brief white-ball series in 2012-13.