KARACHI: The Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) has been forced tochange the schedule of this month’s Blind Cricket World Cup after theIndian government refused to grant permission to its team to travel toPakistan for the matches.

According to an official of PBCC, the fixtures of the Indian team will nowbe played in UAE instead of Pakistan.

“Despite numerous earnest efforts of Cricket Association of the Blind inIndia (CABI) and Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) of getting clearanceof Indian Blind Cricket team to tour Pakistan to play forthcoming World Cupmatches .. is still held in abeyance by the Indian Ministry of ForeignAffairs,” said Sultan Shah, chairman PBCC.

“The Indian Foreign Ministry has not in written denied the Indian Team’sparticipation in Blind Cricket World but Cricket Association of the Blindin India (CABI) told us that Foreign Office has denied verbally,” he added.

The unprecedented delay and reportedly the verbal denial from the IndianForeign Office has compelled PBCC to change the schedule of the World Cupat the last minute.

Indian team was originally scheduled to arrive in Lahore on January 6, 2018and the first match was scheduled vs Pakistan at Gaddafi Stadium on January8. Now, India will arrive in UAE on January 6 and will play its first matchvs Australia on January 8 in Ajman.

The inaugural match of the tournament will be played between Pakistan andBangladesh on January 8 in Lahore.