The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still awaiting visa clearance for its media contingent and fans who intend to travel to India for the ICC World Cup 2023.Despite the tournament has started, the PCBs media representatives and supporters have not yet received clearance to attend.Pakistan kicked off their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Friday. There were no journalists from Pakistan to cover the play, and Pakistani fans were rarely seen during the match. The lone Pakistani supporter present was Mohammad Bashir, known as Bashir Chacha, who hails from Chicago. He arrived in the city a week prior and obtained his ticket from a member of the Pakistani team.Chacha Bashir raising Pakistans flag in India 🇵🇰Dil Dil Pakistan being played in India ♥️goosebumps…. pic.twitter.com/eOBku1mMYA— صالحہ (@SheStansThem) October 3, 2023 As per the reports from Sportstar, approximately 60 journalists have applied for Indian visas. However, there has been no official communication regarding visa approvals, which has left the PCB disappointed. PCB is still hopeful that the Indian government will clear the visas in due course.The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has taken precautions by returning accreditation cards to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and will reissue them once the visas are granted. This measure is to prevent any misuse of the cards, especially given the significant rush of media personnel from various places and countries.The PCB had previously communicated its concerns to the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the visa delay for Pakistani media and fans. They emphasized the importance of ensuring that Pakistan journalists and fans receive their visas for the World Cup, as the visa applications were submitted well in advance.The Ministry of External Affairs declined to comment on the matter when contacted for a response.Pakistans upcoming matches in the tournament include a clash against Sri Lanka scheduled on October 10 in Hyderabad, followed by a highly anticipated encounter against India in Ahmedabad on October 14.
