Faisalabad hopeful for Champions League participation

LAHORE: Despite being denied visas to play the Champions League T20 tournament in India, Pakistan's Faisalabad Wolves are still hopeful of appearing in the tournament. According to reports, the Pakistan Cricket Board says there has been no official communication that the Faisalabad team will not be getting visas to travel to India.

According to team officials, the players are focused on their cricket and even called off their last practice session on Thursday as they would need time to pack. "The players have been training assuming that they are going to depart (on Saturday) as planned," Haroon Rasheed, the Faisalabad team manager told ESPNCricinfo.

"There may be some uncertainty but the players have been asked to just focus on cricket and nothing else. We have completed our conditioning camp and the players have dispersed to do their packing and get ready," Rasheed said.

Initially the squad members were set to arrive in India in two separate batches. If they are given their visas, those in Lahore will depart on Saturday. Misbah-ul-Haq, Saeed Ajmal and Ehsan Adil - who are on duty with the national team in Zimbabwe - will fly to India after the completion of the on-going series. The Wolves are scheduled to play their first match on September 17 in Mohali.

If the visa impasse does end, Faisalabad will be only the second team from Pakistan, after Sialkot Stallions, to take part in the Champions League. The Stallions played the 2012 tournament in South Africa, but failed to qualify for the main round.