Report: Soheyl Imran. Ahead of the ICCT World Twenty20, England cricket team spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed are facing delays in getting Indian visas.
According to the British media, the two players are awaiting permission from the Indian authorities, so they cannot travel to Sri Lanka with the rest of the team this weekend.
The England cricket team is scheduled to play a white-ball series in Sri Lanka in the first match of the upcoming World Cup, which will begin on January 22. After this, England have to play ICCT World Twenty20 matches in India, with the team’s first match on February 8 against Nepal in Mumbai.
According to the British media, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) immediately completed all the visa procedures after the official invitation from the ICC. However, Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed applied for visas while abroad, as they were busy with cricket franchises.
Adil Rashid was in Dubai for the ILT Twenty20 while Rehan Ahmed is in Australia to play the Big Bash League. According to reports, Rehan Ahmed is now expected to stay in Australia while Adil Rashid is awaiting visa approval.
ECB officials are in contact with the ICC, the Indian Cricket Board and the British and Indian authorities to resolve the issue and the ECB is trying to resolve the issue soon.
It is worth remembering that British cricketers in the past also faced difficulties in obtaining Indian visas due to their Pakistani backgrounds. In 2024, Shoaib Bashir’s visa was postponed and Saqib Mahmoud also faced difficulties in the past.
