England cricketers Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid have been granted visas to travel to India for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, easing concerns over delays the players may face with Pakistan ties.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has expressed confidence that visas for all players, support staff and Pakistani origin or nationals will be arranged in time for the tournament.
The matter came into focus last week after it emerged that Ahmed and Rashid were still awaiting clearance, even though the rest of the England team had already secured visas.
Both players have family roots in Pakistan, which has historically complicated the visa process for traveling to India.
In recent years, many players of Pakistani origin from England and Australia have faced similar delays. The issue resurfaced after American fast bowler Ali Khan said in an Instagram post last week that he had been denied an Indian visa.
Fractures in political and diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan have made visa approvals difficult for Pakistani citizens or those of Pakistani heritage.
The Pakistan men’s team has faced some delay in getting visas ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
According to sources, a total of 42 visa applications related to players and officials of Pakistani origin from teams in Canada, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, England, Italy, Bangladesh and the United States have been submitted.
Bangladesh’s applications include former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, who is part of the team’s coaching staff.
Visas have already been issued to players and officials from the Netherlands and Canada, while visa appointments for members of the UAE, USA, Italy, Bangladesh and Canada teams are scheduled for early next week.
ICC has taken a more proactive role in facilitating this process and is in constant touch with Indian High Commissions and Embassies around the world to ensure smooth clearance of remaining applications.
The global governing body is confident that all visas will be issued by January 31, ahead of the tournament’s support period.