Saudi Arabia Ambassador to Pakistan Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmed Al Maliki announced on Sunday that the Pakistan cricket team will be the royal guests on Hajj next year if they win the T20 World Cup 2024 this month.
Pakistan is in Group A of the World Cup alongside arch-rivals India, hosts United States, Ireland and Canada and they will be beginning their campaign in Dallas on June 6.
In a special video message released on Sunday, the top Saudi diplomat also extended his best wishes to the Men in Green for the mega cricket gala.
"My message to my brothers of the Pakistan cricket team is that God willing, you will win this tournament,” Maliki said. “The Pakistani people will celebrate the team's success in the World Cup.”
“I am also praying for Pakistan's prosperity and development. After winning the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, the Pakistani team will be the royal guest on Hajj next year.”
Pakistan won the T20 World Cup 2009 after beating Sri Lanka in the final at Lord’s Cricket Ground with Shahid Afridi winning the Player of the Match title.
Since then, they came close to winning the title twice, in 2021 and 2022. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, Pakistan lost to Australia in the semi-final after coming close but Matthew Wade’s brilliance down the order helped the Aussie win the match.
Meanwhile, in the 2022 T20 World Cup, Pakistan lost the final against England at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. England’s hero of the 2019 ODI World Cup, Ben Stokes, once again rose to the occasion and cruised Jos Buttler’s side to victory.
Pakistan's T20 World Cup squad
Babar Azam (c), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Rizwan, Azam Khan, Shadab Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Usman Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Abrar Ahmed, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf.
Pakistan's T20 World Cup schedule
June 6: Pakistan vs USA, Dallas
June 9: Pakistan vs India, New York
June 11: Pakistan vs Canada, New York
June 16: Pakistan vs Ireland, Lauderhill
