Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan arrive in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj

Lahore: Pakistan skipper Babar Azam and batsman Mohammad Rizwan on Sunday began their spiritual journey to Saudi Arabia in order to undertake the sacred pilgrimage of Hajj.

The pictures of the cricketers arriving there in Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj went viral on the social media. Both the players are seen standing in front of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi located in the city of Madina.

Babar and Rizwan together in Madina Munawra
MashaAllah MashaAllah ?❤?
Partners of this world and partners of Jannah InshaAllah ??❤#rizbar pic.twitter.com/B10lKoGZzw

— RizBaristan❤ (@rizbaristann) June 18, 2023

Babar Azam is accompanied by his mother during this significant pilgrimage, while Mohammad Rizwan is joined by both his mother and wife.

Recognizing the importance of their religious obligations, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) granted special permission to Babar and Rizwan, exempting them from attending the ongoing training camp in Lahore. Following the completion of Hajj, they will rejoin the team in Karachi during the first week of July to prepare for the upcoming Test tour against Sri Lanka.

This year, a considerable number of Pakistani pilgrims, including Babar and Rizwan, are expected to participate in the Hajj pilgrimage.

Earlier this year in March, the Minister for Religious Affairs, Mufti Abdul Shakoor, announced that a total of 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims would have the privilege of performing Hajj.