Babar Azam slapped with fine for two traffic violations in Lahore

The development came just 36 hours before the Pakistan cricket team left for India for the ODI World Cup

Pakistan cricket team Babar Azam has been slapped with a penalty ahead of the team's departure for India for the 2-23 ODI World Cup. Babar, who will be leading the Pakistan side for the first time in the 50-over tournament and third time in an ICC event after two T20 World Cups in 2021 and 2022, received a penalty for violating not one but two traffic rules in Lahore.

Babar Azam and his Pakistan side are all set to leave for India in the next 36 hours for the ODI World Cup(AFP)

Babar was charged with breaking traffic rules on September 17 in Lahore's Gulberg and has been penalised ₹2000, imposed for two violations: driving without a license and lane violation, according to a report in Geo Super. He was first charged for lane violation, but later it was discovered that he did not have his driver's license with him.

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The development came just 36 hours before the Pakistan cricket team left for India for the ODI World Cup, which begins from October 5 onwards in Ahmedabad with 2019 finalists England and New Zealand.

Earlier last week, Pakistan team incurred a situation where they did not receive their visa for India travel, causing them a disruption in their World Cup plan. The team were reportedly set to assemble in Dubai for a short team-bonding session for a few days before they left for Hyderabad, where they play a World Cup warm-up game. The visa delay however led to the side missing out on the Dubai stay with the uncertainty finally ending on Monday night when the team members finally received their visas.

Pakistan will begin their ODI World Cup campaign from October 6 onwards when they take on Netherlands, followed by Sri Lanka on October 10 before taking on arch-rivals India in Ahmedabad in a blockbuster tie on October 14. Prior to the start of the tournament, they will also play two warm-up games in Hyderabad - on September 29 and October 3.