India Opt Out of Blind T20 World Cup 2024 in Pakistan After No Government Permission Amid ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Standoff
The Indian blind cricket team would not be travelling to Pakistan to compete in the tournament. The Blind T20 World Cup 2024 is set to be played in Lahore and Multan from November 23 to December 3.
In a major development, India have withdrawn from the upcoming Blind T20 World Cup 2024 in Pakistan after not receiving permission from the government to travel to the neighbouring country. This is also set to have major implications on the controversy around the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unwilling to send the India national cricket team to Pakistan for the tournament. India for the record, had won three T20 Blind T20 World Cup titles and would have entered the 2024 edition as the defending champion after winning the crown in 2022. ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Top ICC Officials Trying To Convince Pakistan Cricket Board for Adoption of Hybrid Model, Sources.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) denied the Indian blind cricket team to travel to Pakistan for the Blind T20 World Cup 2024 and hence, they had to pull out. The Indian team had obtained a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Sports Ministry but they were not granted permission to travel to Pakistan, by the MEA. According to India Today, Shailendra Yadav, the General Secretary of the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) revealed that they have been verbally communicated by the government of their decision to not give permission to travel to Pakistan and are yet to receive an official written communication. ICC Champions Trophy 2025: Chairman Mohsin Naqvi Reveals PCB Still Waiting for ICC’s Response on BCCI’s Refusal To Travel to Pakistan.
"When I talked with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on the phone then they told us that we won't be getting any permission to go to Pakistan and we can cancel your tournament. They also told us that we will be getting an official letter of denial as well," India Today quoted Shailendra Yadav as saying. The report also adds that Shailendra Yadav stated India will join the likes of England, New Zealand and Australia as the teams to not participate in the Blind T20 World Cup.
Earlier, the Blind Cricket T20 World Cup 2024 schedule was released and India were to take on Bangladesh in the first match on November 23 and South Africa in the second (November 24) before a blockbuster clash against Pakistan on November 25 would have followed.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 19, 2024 08:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).