The visa delays of Pakistani-origin players travelling to India to play cricket are not unusual. England's Shoaib Bashir and Saqib Mahmood have faced similar issues earlier.
Two England spinners of Pakistani heritage, Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid, are facing visa delays ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. The 20-team tournament gets underway on February 7, with England playing its opener against Nepal on February 8. The latest report suggests that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is in constant touch with the Indian government, the BCCI and the ICC to resolve this issue at the earliest. The two players will not travel to Sri Lanka for England’s shadow white-ball tour (including three ODIs and as many T20Is) starting next week.
Per a Sky Sports report, the two players, as things stand, will travel to India for the team’s tournament opener.
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Meanwhile, visa delays of Pakistani-origin players travelling to India to play cricket are not unusual. England’s premier red-ball spinner, Shoaib Bashir, also belonging to Pakistani heritage, faced similar issues during England’s last Test tour of India, missing the first game in Hyderabad. On the other hand, English white-ball seamer Saqib Mahmood also faced travel delays due to the same reason earlier.
The report also claims that there are no objections from the Indian government to issuing visas to both players, with the ECB confident of having them on board for the 20-team tournament.
England, which lost the away Ashes Down Under (1-4), will take on Sri Lanka in a warm-up tour starting January 22.
England squad for Sri Lanka ODIs –
Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root and Luke Wood
England squad Sri Lanka T20Is –
Harry Brook, Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer (World Cup only), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse (Sri Lanka tour only), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue and Luke Wood
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