KARACHI: There will be no mad dash to Russia by a makeshift Pakistan football team for an international friendly after the Russian Football Union called off the game on Wednesday.

The game had been in limbo after the Pakistan Football Federation Normal­isation Committee had stated that it would not be able to prepare the side for Friday’s match in Moscow.

However, the government — in a move aimed at sports diplomacy — had instructed the Pakistan Sports Board to form a team to ensure the game goes on after the national team had received an invitation by Russian Minister for Sport to play a match during the October international window.

With Russia covering the expenses, the PSB had called up several players hoping they could fly out on Thursday before the RFU finally announced that the fixture will not take place.

Several Russian outlets cited the RFU as saying that it had “continued to discuss with Pakistan the possibility of a friendly match, however, based on the time frame of the training camp that began, it decided not to hold the game.”

Russia will instead hold an open training session for fans at the Dynamo Stadium on Friday.

The PFF NC had been in negotiations to shift the match to the November international window but the Moscow Times reported that the RFU has already “finalised opponents for friendlies in November, with head coach Valery Karpin telling reporters earlier Wednesday that the national team will play against Syria next month”.

Russia, which is under FIFA and UEFA sanctions due to its invasion of Ukraine, is banned from playing in international competitions but can take part in friendly matches.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2024