South Africa cricket team to arrive in Karachi via chartered flight

• South Africa cricket team will arrive in Pakistan via a chartered flight after Emirates suspended flights to/ from South Africa due to operational reasons
• Sources say special request is forwarded to the Civil Aviation Authority to grant landing permission to the flight 
• Expenses of the chartered flight will be borne by Cricket South Africa

Karachi: The South Africa cricket team will arrive in Karachi via chartered flight instead of a commercial flight as planned earlier after Emirates Airline announced the suspension of flights both to and from South Africa.

A source privy to the matter confirmed that a special request has also been forwarded to the Civil Aviation Authority to grant landing permission for the flight arriving directly from Johannesburg on Saturday.

“Emirates flights to/from South Africa will temporarily be suspended from Saturday 16 January to 28 January 2021 due to operational reasons,” the airline said in a statement.

Read more: South African team to arrive in Pakistan on January 16

A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) source confirmed that expenses of the chartered flight will be borne by Cricket South Africa. The PCB, however, has helped the visiting party in making necessary arrangements for travel.

The 27-member squad of Cricket South Africa will now arrive on Saturday morning. The team is scheduled to play two tests and three ODIs against Pakistan.

The first Test will be played in Karachi from January 26th.

Read more: South Africa coach Mark Boucher confident of team security on Pakistan tour