Visa Delay Leaves Pakistan-Born England Spinners in Limbo Ahead of T20 World Cup

The delay makes it unlikely that the two players will travel with the rest of the England squad this weekend for six warm-up matches.

The Wire Staff

The delay makes it unlikely that the two players will travel with the rest of the England squad this weekend for six warm-up matches.

visa delay leaves pakistan born england spinners in limbo ahead of t20 world cup

File photo: England's Adil Rashid reacts after catching out South Africa's Aiden Markram during the second Metro Bank ODI Series cricket match between England and South Africa at Lord's in London on September 4, 2025. Photo: AP/PTI.

New Delhi: The Indian authorities are yet to clear visas for England spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, creating uncertainty over their availability for pre-tournament fixtures ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup.

The delay makes it unlikely that the two players, both of Pakistani heritage, will travel with the rest of the England squad this weekend for six warm-up matches against Sri Lanka, The Guardian reported.

The situation has not caught the England and Wales Cricket Board off guard, given previous experiences with visa-related delays amid strained India–Pakistan relations. In the past, Shoaib Bashir missed the opening Test of England’s tour of India two years ago after being required to return to London to complete formalities, while Saqib Mahmood has also faced similar issues.

While the ECB has received assurances from the Indian government that there is no objection in principle to Rashid’s and Ahmed’s applications, the timeline remains uncertain. The board has sought assistance from the UK government to speed up the process. Rashid is currently playing in South Africa’s SA20 league, while Ahmed is in Australia’s Big Bash League.

Adding to the complications, England’s group-stage match against Bangladesh does not yet have a confirmed venue after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move its games to a neutral location due to security concerns. Pakistan’s fixtures have already been shifted to Sri Lanka, though the BCCI is understood to be opposing any further changes.

Similar visa-related uncertainty has affected four United States players of Pakistani origin – Ali Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin and Ehsan Adil – who are awaiting clearance to travel to India for the same tournament. The quartet, currently in Sri Lanka with the USA squad, attended visa appointments at the Indian High Commission in Colombo on Tuesday, Cricbuzz reported.

This article went live on January fifteenth, two thousand twenty six, at twenty minutes past nine at night.

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