Daily Times

LAHORE: Pakistani T20 World Cup squad, led by Babar Azam left for Dubai on Friday for the much-anticipated cricket event.

The Shaheens, as the national cricket squad is properly known, flew from Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport for the UAE in a chartered plane.

The men in green will have to stay in quarantine for a day in UAE.

Pakistan is scheduled to play two warm-up matches against West Indies and South Africa on October 18 and 20, respectively.

The Pakistani team, along with their family members and staff were taken to the airport under high security.

Millions of fans will be eager to witness Pakistan begin their bid for the trophy. It will be with a high-octane clash against arch rival India on October 24 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

The two neighbours will come face-to-face for the first time since their 2019, 50-over World Cup fixture at Manchester. This will also be the sixth time they will compete in the global T20 tournament.

Two days later, Pakistan will play Kane Williamson’s New Zealand at the historic Sharjah Cricket Stadium. It will be before returning to Dubai to play Afghanistan for the first time in a T20 World Cup, on October 29.

In their last two matches of the Super 12 stage, which will feature the top eight T20 teams and four teams who secure qualification from Round 1, Pakistan, who have played the most matches (36) in the UAE for an international side and have won 21 of them, will play the runner-up of Group A and winners of Group B on November 2 and 7, at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium and Sharjah Cricket Stadium, respectively.