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The Indian blind cricket team will not compete in the T20 World Cup as the government has denied the permission to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns, the national federation said on Tuesday. The Indian team was supposed to cross the Wagah border on Wednesday for the event, scheduled to be held from November 23 to December 3. The team had got a No Objection Certificate (NOC), at no-cost to the government, from the sports ministry to participate in the tournament but apparently couldn't get clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). "We have been told unofficially that the blind team will not be permitted to travel to Pakistan. We were scheduled to travel to Wagah border tomorrow.
"But as of now, no clearance has come from the ministry officials. So, we are a bit disappointed," Shailendra Yadav, General Secretary of the Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), told PTI.
Yadav said that the decision could have been conveyed to the team a tad earlier so that they could have spared of the efforts to pick the team from a selection trial.
"They are saying when the mainstream cricket team is not safe how can you be safe there. Of course, we will accept the decision.
"But why hold the decision till the last minute, why not inform us a month or 25 days back. There is a process,” Yadav added.
The blind cricket is currently staying back in New Delhi, where they had conducted a 25-day training camp before selecting the World Cup squad.
It could also be mentioned that the government has not given clearance to the Indian national cricket team to travel to Pakistan for next year's ICC Champions Trophy.
The BCCI had informed the International Cricket Council about India's inability to travel to Pakistan and the global governing body, in turn, passed the information to the PCB.
Currently, talks are on about a possible ‘Hybrid Model', the PCB is yet to agree to it.
However, Yadav said the CABI has kept all the communication channels with the government officials open, hoping for a reversal of decision.
"We are still communicating with the ministry while staying back at New Delhi. Hopefully, there will be a favourable decision, even at the last minute,” said Yadav.
The Pakistan Blind Cricket Council had last week made it clear that whether India sends its team to Pakistan or not for the World Cup, the event will go ahead on schedule.
"Pakistan will be hosting the event on schedule and it makes no difference whether the Indian team comes or not,” Chairman Syed Sultan Shah said.
Shah said all arrangements for hosting the World Cup had been completed by the PBCC and there would be no change to the schedule at all.