WBCC revokes India's rights to host 2025 Blind Women's T20 World Cup

India's hosting rights of the 2025 Blind Women's T20 World Cup have been revoked following the country's decision to not travel to Pakistan to participate in the ongoing men's tournament, as New Delhi continues to halt and drag its feet on visa approvals and refuses to allow the team to travel. 

The World Blind Cricket Council (WBCC) came to the decision in a meeting in Multan, where India's refusal to grant no-objection certificates (NOCs) to the team aroused a heated debate among the officials. 

Owing to its short-sighted policies, India is widely known for a tendency to refuse visa requests of the Pakistan team which became the reason behind the decision to revoke the hosting rights. 

India had famously denied Pakistan's blind cricket team visas for the Blind World Cup 2022. 

The council also decided that both Pakistan and India would not host international blind cricket until the tensions between the two nations were solved.

The two nations will only host their events at neutral venues where issues of visas and NOCs do not become obstacles preventing participation.

Moreover, the meeting also decided to retain Pakistan’s Syed Sultan Shah as the chairman of the WBCC.

Pakistan on Sunday thrashed Nepal by 10 wickets in the first semi-final at Multan Cricket Stadium and reached the final of the ongoing Blind T20 World Cup 2024.

Chasing a modest 95-run target, the home side comfortably knocked the winning runs in just 5.3 overs without losing a wicket.

The Green Shirts will face Bangladesh in the Blind T20 World Cup 2024 final, scheduled to be played at the same venue on Tuesday.