Mumbai: All the sporting activities between Indian and Pakistan has been brought to a standstill, thus denying the athletes to duel with neighbouring athletes, and now it is the turn of a head coach of Zimbabwe, and Indian Lalchand Rajput has not been given NoC by the Indian government to travel to Pakistan.
Rajput, who holds an Indian passport, has been exempted from travelling with the team on the tour of Pakistan after a request from the Indian Embassy in Harare.
Zimbabwe were to play three ODIs and as many T20Is games against Pakistan.
Talking to Free Press Journal, Lalchand Rajput said that he will not be with the team in Pakistan.
It is sad and It's government policy, and I have to abide by it," said Lalchand while talking to FPJ from Hazare on Wednesday.
A statement from Zimbabwe Cricket said that Rajput will miss the tour following the request from the Indian embassy.
A top source in the PCB said that the directives of the Indian government to not allow Rajput to visit Pakistan had caused some concerns in the Board. India and Pakistan have had no bilateral cricketing ties due to tense diplomatic ties between the two countries
Meanwhile in the absence of Rajput, bowling coach Douglas Hondo would take charge of the team during the tour.
“The Embassy of Pakistan in Harare had issued a visa to Rajput," the ZC tweeted.
The Zimbabwean team is scheduled to play three ODIs against Pakistan in Rawalpindi starting October 30, before moving to Lahore for three T20Is. The visiting team arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday.
The 58-year-old Rajput was appointed as Zimbabwe's full-time coach in August 2018 after the team failed to qualify for the 2019 World Cup.
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