India blind team's T20 World Cup participation uncertain due to pending clearance

With the Blind T20 World Cup in Pakistan just days away, the Indian government has yet to clear its blind cricket team for participation, India Today reported.

Although the Sports Ministry has issued a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the team's participation, it is subject to clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The fourth Blind Cricket T20 World Cup is set to begin on November 23 in Lahore, running through December 3.

Teams from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, Nepal, and Afghanistan will compete, with India defending their championship title. India has won all three previous T20 World Cup titles — in 2012, 2017 and 2022.

The tournament's opening game will feature a showdown between host Pakistan and South Africa on November 23.

General Secretary Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI) Shailendra Yadav said they had been waiting for the government’s clearance for more than two weeks. “We need yes or no from the government,” he stated.

The last time India blind team played a bilateral series in Pakistan was in 2014.

"In 2018, the [India] government denied the clearance to visit Pakistan and in 2023, the Pakistan team skipped the tournament when it was held in India," said Yadav, speaking to India Today.

To a query Yadav said: "We will go by whatever the government will direct us. If they say yes, we will go and if they say no, we will not go. We just need clarity from the government."

The Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) responded firmly to India’s delay in granting its team clearance to participate in the World Cup, saying that the tournament will proceed as planned in Pakistan without the Indian team.

PBCC Chairman Syed Sultan Shah clarified that Pakistan had issued visas for the Indian team, but it was the Indian government that denied them permission to travel.

"All other teams are coming to Pakistan for the World Cup. If one team doesn’t show up, it won’t affect our preparations," he said.

The development comes as, according to sources, the Indian men’s team will not play the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in 2025. India’s decision was relayed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) by the International Cricket Council (ICC) through an official mail, the sources told Indian media.

Following comprehensive legal consultations, the PCB plans to request the ICC to provide concrete reasons behind the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) "refusal" to send its team to Pakistan for participation in the mega tournament.

The PCB intends to present a firm stance, reflecting the government’s advisory, and will seek a written explanation from the BCCI detailing their decision, the sources said.