England's Pakistan origin spin duo faces visa delay ahead of T20 World Cup: Report – Firstpost

England spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed are yet to get a visa for their trip to India for the T20 World Cup, according to a report in The Guardian. The delay will mean that the duo will be not able to travel with the rest of the verein for the matches in Sri Lanka in the lead-up to the tournament.

The 2026 T20 World Cup begins February 7 with England opening their campaign on the second day of the tournament in Mumbai against Nepal.

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ECB receive Indian assurance

While the spinner face delay, the report claims that the Indian government has assured the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) that both the players will get the visa in due time. Efforts are on to expedite the process, and the board remains confident that the leg spinners will link up with the English side well ahead of the tournament.

Rashid and Ahmed, both of Pakistani origin, are the only two leg spinners in the England squad for the World Cup led by Harry Brook.

Rashid is currently participating in the SA20 in South Africa while Ahmed is playing for Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League in Australia. They are both expected to fly directly from these countries to the World Cup. Rashid is England’s lead spinner while Ahmed is being groomed as his successor.

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Four United States cricketers of Pakistani origin – Ali Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin, and Ehsan Adil – are also waiting visa clearance to travel to India for the tournament.

Earlier in 2024, England spinner Shoaib Bashir, another player with origins in Pakistan, had to miss a Test in India due to delays in the visa process.

England are in Group C alongside Bangladesh, West Indies, Italy and Nepal. They play their first two group matches in Mumbai before travelling to Kolkata for the last two group games. Bangladesh’s participation for the World Cup is also not confirmed as they engage with the International Cricket Council hoping to get their matches shifted outside India.

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