World Cup 2023: Pakistani fans on their way to India
The Green Shirts will play their first match on October 6
KARACHI: The Pakistan cricket team were issued Indian visas on Monday after a long delay and departed for India on Tuesday night to participate in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, which will begin on October 5 in Ahmedabad.
The national team left at 3.20am from Lahore airport and will make a brief stopover in Dubai before taking a flight to Indian Hyderabad.
The team is scheduled to land in Hyderabad at 8:15pm (local time) on September 27 (today).
However, before the Green Shirts land in India, Pakistani fans have started to make their way to the country to welcome their stars.
A supporter from the United States, Chacha Bashir, has reached Hyderabad to give the Men in Green a warm welcome when they land in India later tonight.
Bashir, wearing a green suit to represent his love for Pakistan, reached Hyderabad to show his love and support for Babar Azam and his men.
“I have come here to boost the morale of the Pakistan cricket team,” Bashir said. “Pakistani team will enjoy delicious food in Hyderabad.”
“I will travel to every city where Pakistan will play their matches to support them,” he added.
WATCH
Pakistan will play two warm-up matches before beginning their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on October 6.
Arch-rivals India and Pakistan are set to clash in a mouth-watering October 14 contest in Ahmedabad.
Pakistan squad for ICC World Cup 2023
Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, M Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha.
Travelling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed, Zaman Khan.
Schedule of Pakistan's warm-up matches:
September 29 — vs New Zealand in Hyderabad
October 3 — vs Australia in Hyderabad
Pakistan's schedule for the ICC World Cup 2023:
October 6 — vs Netherlands in Hyderabad
October 10 — vs Sri Lanka in Hyderabad
October 14 — vs India in Ahmedabad
October 20 — vs Australia in Bengaluru
October 23 — vs Afghanistan in Chennai
October 27 — vs South Africa in Chennai
October 31 — vs Bangladesh in Kolkata
November 4 — vs New Zealand Bengaluru (Day match)
November 11 — vs England in Kolkata
The day matches which will start at 10:00am Pakistan Standard Time (PST) while all other matches will be day-night fixtures starting at 01:30pm (PST).
If Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals, they will play in Kolkata.
If India qualify for the semi-finals, they will play in Mumbai unless playing against Pakistan, in which case they will play in Kolkata.
