Pakistan’s team to miss T20 Blind World Cup as India denies visa
The Hindu
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan has accused India of ‘insensitivity’
Pakistan’s team will miss the third T20 Blind World Cup Cricket Tournament as the players were denied Indian visas, The Hindu has learned. The denial of the visa has drawn a response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan which has accused India of “insensitivity”.
“As a result of the Indian decision, Pakistani players would be deprived of the opportunity to participate in an international sporting event of special significance. The sports events must not be politicised,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan adding that Islamabad had expressed “disappointment” over the issue to the Indian side.
The denial of visas has drawn a strong statement from the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) which said that India’s decision was based on “political grounds” saying, “this unfortunate incident has left the Pakistan blind cricket team in the lurch.”
Pakistan’s blind cricket team had been runners-up in 2012 and 2017.
“The PBCC strongly condemns this discriminating act of India as sports should be above regional politics...Our counterpart Blind Cricket Association in India pleaded [with] their government for Pakistan’s clearance but nothing was heard,” declared the PBCC which accused the Indian government of violating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.