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Pakistan Scrabble Association Director Tariq Pervez voiced that over half of the squad were denied their visas without reason ahead of the event.
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Pakistani Scrabble players were denied visas to India ahead of the Asia Cup Youth Scrabble Championship and Delhi Cup amid a standoff between the neighbouring countries over the availability of the Men in Blue to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy slated to be held across the border.
Pakistan Scrabble Association Director Tariq Pervez voiced that over half of the squad were denied their visas without reason ahead of the event. The India High Commission went on to clarify that the players would not be granted their visas on Tuesday.
“Half the team was denied visas without explanation, including players who had previously competed and triumphed in India just last year,” said Pervez.
He went on to assert the magnitude of the setback with the World Youth Champions out of the reckoning for the tournament in India.
“As reigning World Youth Champions and defending Asian Youth titleholders, Pakistan’s absence is a significant setback for the tournament,” he added.
Pervez also added that some of the players who had travelled to Lahore in hopes of securing their visas for the trip to India had to return home with disappointment following the neighbours’ decision to not grant them permits.
The furore over the Indian side’s reluctance to travel to Pakistan for the marquee ICC event has become a hotly-contested debate as BCCI conveyed its decision to abstain from sending the Indian team across the border for the event to the ICC and PCB.
While the idea of a hybrid tournament has been floated by the BCCI, the PCB are yet to discuss the feasibility of the same and remains intent on hosting the entire tournament on its soil.
It remains to be seen if either side would budge and give in to the request of the other ahead of the headline event in the year 2025.