Pakistan refuses to send team to India for Masters Cricket World Cup, hockey side also barred

The Masters Cricket World Cup (50+ age group) is scheduled to be held in India in January 2027. The Pakistan Cricket Board and Pakistan's home ministry have flatly refused to send the country's team to the tournament. The Pakistan team has withdrawn its name at the last moment, so the organisers will now have to find another team to replace it.

The information was given by Fawad Ejaz, head of the Pakistan Veterans Cricket Association. The tournament organisers have also been officially told that Pakistan is withdrawing its team.

The Indian organisers and the host country had given full assurance of visas and high-level security to the Pakistani veterans team. Following that assurance, the PVCA had sought a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the PCB, the foreign ministry and the home ministry.

However, Pakistan's home minister and PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi cited tension between the two countries and flatly refused to permit the team to travel to India. Pakistan won the Veterans World Cup held in Sri Lanka last year, but this time it will not be able to defend its title.

Sporting ties between India and Pakistan have suffered since the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai. Relations between the two countries have come under strain. The Indian men's cricket team last toured Pakistan in July 2008. The Indian team last went to Pakistan to play a bilateral series in 2005-06.

The distance is not limited to cricket and is visible in other sports as well. No bilateral hockey series has been played between the two countries since 2008. Pakistan's hockey team last came to India for the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy. The Indian men's hockey team last toured Pakistan for a bilateral series in 2006.

As with cricket, bilateral hockey ties between India and Pakistan have also remained distant for a long time because of political and security reasons. The hockey team has also been stopped from travelling to India because approval was not given by the Pakistan government and the home ministry.