ISLAMABAD: The first batch of Pakistan’s national cricket team has arrived in Australia for the upcoming ODI and T20I series, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Tuesday, including some of the most prominent bowlers and batters.
The Pakistan team has delivered underwhelming performances in recent international tournaments and tours, with their outings at the Asia Cup and the ICC World Cup last year leaving fans disappointed due to inconsistent displays and significant defeats.
Despite these setbacks, Pakistan’s recent Test series victory against England at home has rekindled hope among fans as the team sets out for tours of Australia and Zimbabwe.
“Members of the Pakistan ODI squad for the Australia series arrive in Melbourne,” PCB announced in an Instagram post, sharing pictures of Haris Rauf, Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi at airport in Australia.
“The remaining ODI players will depart for Melbourne today,” it added.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBsqNIlIiG_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
The first group includes seven key players, while the second batch has white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan and others.
Pakistan will kick off their tour with a series of white-ball matches in Australia, followed by fixtures in Zimbabwe later in November.
The team is set to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Australia before heading to Zimbabwe for another white-ball series.
Members of Pakistan ODI squad arrive in Melbourne for Australia series
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Members of Pakistan ODI squad arrive in Melbourne for Australia series
- Australia will play Pakistan in three one-day internationals starting Nov. 4
- ODIs to be immediately followed by three-match T20 series on Nov. 14
US freezes immigrant visas for Pakistanis from Jan. 21, non-immigrant travel unaffected
- Pakistan is listed among 75 ‘high-risk’ countries as US revisits immigration policy and screening standards
- Embassy statement follows Pakistan’s request for clarity on scope and implementation of visa restrictions
ISLAMABAD: The United States has formally announced a freeze on the issuance of immigrant visas for Pakistani nationals starting next week, while confirming that non-immigrant visas will continue to be processed, according to a social media post by the US embassy on Friday.
The statement comes two days after the State Department said it would suspend the issuance of immigrant visas for nationals of 75 countries, as President Donald Trump presses ahead with a hard-line immigration agenda centered on financial self-sufficiency.
In an update published on its website, the State Department said it was conducting a comprehensive review of immigration policies to ensure that migrants from what it described as “high-risk” countries do not rely on public welfare in the United States or become a “public charge.”
“The Trump Administration is focused on protecting the American people by upholding the highest standards of screening and vetting of visa applicants,” the US embassy said on X. “Effective January 21, the Department of State is pausing issuance to all immigrant visa applicants from selected countries, including Pakistan.”
“This action applies to the issuance of immigrant visas only,” it added. “It does not apply to nonimmigrant visas, such as those for tourists, students, athletes, skilled workers, and their families.”
The embassy said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had instituted the pause until authorities could ensure that new immigrants are vetted “to the maximum degree,” including confirmation that applicants meet eligibility requirements and will not rely on public assistance.
Pakistan’s foreign office said a day earlier that it was seeking clarity from US authorities on the scope and implementation of the restrictions, while immigration consultants and travel agents reported growing uncertainty among applicants with pending cases.
Trump has intensified immigration enforcement since returning to office in January, expanding federal operations across major US cities. Earlier this month, a US immigration agent shot dead a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis, triggering overnight protests and renewed criticism over the administration’s hard-line approach.
