Blind cricketers to wait till Jan 5 for govt approval to travel to Pakistan

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Association for Blind in India (CABI) President G K Mahantesh today said the national team will wait till January 5 for clearance from government to travel to Pakistan for the fifth World Cup to be held from January 7-21. "We will wait till January 5 for clearance from the government to travel to Pakistan for World Cup," he told reporters here. If the government gives the nod on January 5, the team will go from New Delhi to Wagah border to enter Pakistan on January 6, Mahantesh said.

"If the government does not grant permission, we will fly from New Delhi to Dubai," the CABI President said. Matches between India and Pakistan will be played in Dubai, he added. "Since it is a tournament, the matches will not be forfeited. Matches are forfeited in a bilateral series. Both nations will play their matches against each other in Dubai," Mahantesh said.

He is optimistic about government's nod to allow the team to fly to Pakistan to play World Cup matches. "Despite political tensions between the neighbouring countries in 2011, 2013 and 2014, the Indian team was allowed to travel to Pakistan for the tournament," he added. The team will fly to New Delhi tomorrow after undergoing a month-long training at Chinnaswamy stadium, Mahantesh stated. Apart from India and Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia and South Africa are the other participating nations.

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