LAHORE: The South African and Afghanistan teams arrived in Lahore on Wednesday, marking the final stage of preparations for the 2024 Blind T20 Cricket World Cup, which begins on November 23.
The teams were greeted by officials from the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC), signaling the start of a highly anticipated event.
Afghanistan, making its debut in the tournament, had arrived a day earlier.
Syed Sultan Shah, president of World Blind Cricket said that all participating teams are expected to be in the city by November 21.
Afghanistan’s squad, which crossed into Pakistan via the Torkham border a day earlier includes 16 players.
The team will be led by captain Abaseen Selab, with Fahim as vice-captain. Other members of the squad are wicketkeeper-batter Sharafat, Farmanullah, Samiullah, Abdullah, Asadullah, Ghulam Khan, Baryalai Sahil, Sardar Wali, Abdul Malik, Ajmal, Rohullah, Dawran, Ezatullah, and Zabihullah.
The team will rest today before taking to the field for a practice match against a local club in Lahore.
The squad is supported by coach Sanaullah Khan Marwat, physiotherapist Dr. Shafiq, and trainer Syed Jalal. However, two players are still waiting for visa approvals and are not yet part of the squad.
India Stops Team to Travel Pakistan
The Indian authorities refused to send its team to pariticpate in the Blind T20 World Cup.
The Indian media reported that the team has been denied permission to travel to Lahore for the tournament by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The refusal continues a long-standing trend of Indian teams being barred from participating in events held in Pakistan.
This decision also affects India’s involvement in future tournaments, including the 2024 Champions Trophy and upcoming Kabaddi matches.
India’s withdrawal means the tournament will be missing one of its most anticipated matchups, India-Pakistan.
Yadav, a representative from CABI, expressed disappointment, remarking that the absence of the Indian team, particularly in the context of India-Pakistan encounters, will be felt by fans and players alike.
The 2024 Blind T20 Cricket World Cup will officially begin on November 23 with a match between Pakistan and South Africa at the Ghani Institute of Cricket Ground. The tournament will culminate with the final in Multan on December 3.
