Pakistan Cricket Board declines request for over-50s team to play in India

File photo: Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi informed the over-50s side that it could not play in India. | Photo Credit: AFP

The Pakistan Cricket Board has declined a request from the over-50s team to participate in the International Masters Cricket World Cup being hosted by India in January next year.

Pakistan won the last edition of the tournament held in Sri Lanka last year, but this time the board has informed the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association that it is not permitted to travel and play in India.

“We have informed the organisers about our withdrawal from the World Cup so that they can arrange for an alternate team,” Fawad Ijaz, who heads the PVCA, said on Wednesday.

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Ijaz said that the organisers and host nation had assured the PVCA of granting its team visas and providing high-level security, after which it had sought permission from the PCB and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior to participate.

Ijaz revealed that Pakistan’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi, who also heads the PCB, informed them they are not permitted to play in India.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation had also recently refused to travel to India to play in the Asian Champions Trophy and was replaced by Bangladesh.

Pakistan and India, due to strained relations, play cricket against each other only in multi-nation events and at neutral venues.