LAHORE: The final of the World Blind Cricket Cup will be played on January 20 at Sharjah instead of Gadaffi Stadium Lahore after India’s refusal to tour Pakistan for the match, the organisers announced on Monday.

“We have shifted the venue from Lahore to Sharjah after a meeting with the President, World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) Mahantesh G.H from India,” said Syed Sultan Shah, Chairman WBCC while talking to APP on Monday from Sharjah.

He said Mahantesh, who is also the President of Cricket Association of Blind in India, in the meeting said that their government has not given them permission to visit Pakistan which is quite unfortunate.

“It was our utmost desire to visit Pakistan to play matches of the Cup in Pakistan and as the permission was not granted to us by our government, we were left with no option but to play our pool matches in UAE as well as the final,” said Mahantesh. “We always like to visit Pakistan and feel happy to play cricket there.”

“I feel sorry for the lovers of the game in Pakistan for not playing cricket in Pakistan and I am confident that our team will tour Pakistan in near future to play bilateral series,” he added.

Sultan Shah said they were all set to hold the final of the mega event in Lahore as all preparations had been made. “We organised the matches of the World Blind Cricket Cup in different cities of the Punjab in a best possible way and foreign teams expressed their satisfaction and delight the way these matches were staged,” he said.

“But we are confident that Indian blind cricket team will visit Pakistan during the current year to play bilateral series.”

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2018

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
Updated 29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

It is clear that going after militant groups inside Afghanistan unilaterally presents its own set of difficulties.
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...