Pakistani cricketers arrive for ICC Cricket World Cup at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, in Hyderabad, on September 27, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Former champions Pakistan, led by Babar Azam, arrived in Hyderabad at night on September 27 amid heavy security for its ODI World Cup campaign.
Pakistan reached the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at just about 8.15 p.m. and then proceeded to the hotel with the authorities taking all precautions and ensuring tightest security possible for the team on the way to the hotel. This is the first visit by Pakistan to India after the 2016 T-20 World Cup.
A Pakistani fan, settled in Chicago whose wife is a Hyderabadi, created a flutter at the airport after he raised pro-Pakistan slogans.
The neighbours will play two World Cup warm-up matches at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium (Uppal) on September 29 against New Zealand and then on October 3 against Australia.
Pakistan’s first World Cup match is against The Netherlands on October 6 here and it plays another match against Sri Lanka on October 10.
Meanwhile, the second batch of the New Zealand team (the first batch arrived last night) also reached the city.
