ICC World Cup 2023: Babar Azam-led Pakistani squad lands in Hyderabad after visa approval
Pakistan Cricket team, led by skipper Babar Azam, on 27 September finally arrived in Hyderabad ahead of the showpiece event on Wednesday. The team arrived a day after visas were issued to the team for the ICC World Cup 2023 in India.
This is the first time in seven years that Pakistan’s men’s cricket team is visiting India, which is hosting the ICC World Cup 2023 this time. The nail-biting tournament begins on 5 October and concludes on 19 November.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, Babar Azam and the other squad members arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad following a long nine-hour layover in Dubai.
ALSO READ: ICC World Cup 2023: Pakistan team gets visa 48 hours before travel, cleared to enter India
They departed from Lahore early morning on Wednesday to touch down in Hyderabad later in the night.
The 1992 edition champion of the ICC World Cup will play their first warm-up game against 2019 runners-up New Zealand on 29 September. Following this, they will be five-time champions of Australia on 3 October. But the actual sporting event will begin for them when they face the Netherlands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on 6 October.
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Before the side’s scheduled travel to Hyderabad, the members of the Pakistan cricket team received their Indian visas in less than 48 hours. Due to an injury, Babar missed the 2016 edition of the World Cup in India.
Meanwhile, India and Pakistan will face each other on 14 October at Narendra Modi stadium in Motera.
“I am excited to play in Ahmedabad as it will be jam-packed. I will try my best to perform up to my potential. I am not worried about my accolades, I want to make sure whatever I do helps the result for the team,” HT quoted Babar as saying in the pre-departure press conference.
Pakistan’s Mohammad Nawaz and Salman Ali Agha are the two current squad members who previously visited India for a showpiece event.
“The BCCI has assured the ICC that all teams will be provided the best security and will be well looked after so I don’t expect anything different for our team. I don’t think our team will face any issues in India,” said Zaka Ashraf, who is the head of the PCB management committee.
Pakistan’s World Cup squad:
Babar Azam (c), Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Mohammad Rizwan, Saud Shakeel, Iftikhar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Wasim.
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Updated: 27 Sep 2023, 11:03 PM IST
