Saudi Envoy Promises Hajj 2025 Invitation to Pakistan Cricket Team if They Win World Cup

Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki extended his best wishes to the Pakistan cricket team ahead of their T20 World Cup matches, announcing a special invitation: the team will be royal guests for Hajj 2025 if they clinch the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 title.

The announcement was made on Sunday as the Pakistan national cricket team arrived in Dallas to participate in the T20 World Cup 2024. Under the leadership of skipper Babar Azam, Pakistan’s campaign begins on June 6 against the United States.

The 2009 world champions will compete against India, Ireland, and Canada in their subsequent Group A matches. The tournament, co-hosted by the United States and West Indies, runs from June 2-29 and features 20 teams.

In a video message shared by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Ambassador Malki expressed his support for the Pakistan team as the tournament commenced on June 2.

“Next year when they win the World Cup, God willing, they [the Pakistan cricket team] will be the royal guests for Hajj,” Malki said. “I pray for Pakistan and its success and prosperity.”

In recent years, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been strengthening their ties in cricket, a sport that is rapidly gaining popularity in the Kingdom. The PCB announced in January 2023 its readiness to share sports expertise with Saudi Arabia, which became an affiliate member of the International Cricket Council in 2003 and an associate member in 2016.

Cricket has seen significant growth in Saudi Arabia recently, especially since the establishment of the Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation in 2020. The Federation has launched various programs to promote the sport domestically and prepare national teams to compete internationally.