Pakistan team to be royal guests at Hajj after T20 WC victory: Saudi envoy

In a remarkable announcement, the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Ahmed Al-Malki, declared that the Pakistan cricket team will be invited to perform Hajj as royal guests if they win the 2024 T20 World Cup. The ambassador recently stated, "If Pakistan wins this year's T20 World Cup, they will be the royal guests of the Saudi government for next year's Hajj."

Pakistan is placed in Group 'A' for the T20 World Cup, where they will compete against India, Ireland, Canada, and the United States. Their World Cup campaign begins on June 6 with a match against the United States.

Pakistan was the runner-up in the last edition of the ICC T20 World Cup. For the upcoming tournament, they have announced a strong 15-member squad with Babar Azam as the captain. Fast bowler Haris Rauf has made it into the World Cup squad, overcoming injury concerns.

For the first time, Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Saim Ayub, and Usman Khan have been included in the T20 World Cup squad. Notably, pacer Hasan Ali has been left out.