England’s preparations for the 2026 T20 World Cup suffered an early setback when spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed suffered visa delays to journey to India. Pakistani-born American gamers are going through comparable points, elevating considerations concerning the staff’s preparations for the high-profile match.
4 Pakistani-born US gamers – Ali Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin and Ehsan Adil – are nonetheless ready for permission to journey to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Nonetheless, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) can be ready for visas for Rashid and Rehan to participate within the match.
England face visa setback forward of T20 World Cup
England suffered a setback of their preparations for the T20 World Cup as Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed had been unable to acquire visas to journey to India for the match. In consequence, they’re unlikely to hitch the remainder of the staff on the white-ball tour to Sri Lanka.
Your day by day cricket consumption!
The 2 spinners haven’t been capable of be part of the squad to date and it’s unclear when they are going to be part of up with their teammates in the course of the Sri Lanka tour.
Based on the Guardian, the England and Wales Cricket Board has been knowledgeable by the Indian authorities that it has no objections to the gamers’ visa functions. The Council is at the moment working with the UK Authorities to hurry up the method, however the timeline stays unsure.
Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed await visa clearance for T20 World Cup
Adil Rashid is in South Africa taking part in in SA20 and Rehan Ahmed is in Australia for the Huge Bash League. As soon as their visas are authorised, each gamers will journey straight from their present residences to Sri Lanka or India, relying on their staff’s schedule.
The visa delays weren’t a shock to the England and Wales Cricket Board, as comparable points have occurred lately. The committee has beforehand grappled with delays in processing visas, particularly amid rising geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.
In 2024, Shoaib Bashir was absent from the primary Take a look at of England tour to India after returning to London to finish his visa formalities. Saqib Mahmood has confronted comparable visa-related points up to now.
England face a number of challenges heading into the T20 World Cup
England start their T20 World Cup marketing campaign towards Nepal in Mumbai on February 8. After dropping 4-1 within the Ashes collection, they are going to be below strain going into the match.
Earlier than the World Cup, England are scheduled to tour Sri Lanka and can play three ODIs and three T20Is beginning January 22. Nonetheless, head coach Harry Brook might face choice issues if Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed don’t arrive in time.
Solely Liam Dawson has been named as a specialist spinner, so part-time choices resembling Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell could should shoulder an even bigger bowling load. England additionally face uncertainty over their group stage match towards Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board has requested all matches to be moved outdoors India on account of security considerations and requested the Worldwide Cricket Council to maneuver the match to Sri Lanka. The ICC has already rejected this request as soon as, however Bangladesh has not modified its stance.
Additionally learn: UK pronounces boycott of day and evening ashes testing in Australia
