A United States cricket official has refuted claims that India has denied visas to four Pakistani-origin players ahead of the 2026 Twenty20 World Cup, clarifying that the visas are delayed, not denied.
In a social media video, USA pacer Ali Khan stated that he, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin, and Ehsan Adil were refused visas to travel to India for the Men’s 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted with Sri Lanka starting February 7. However, an official from USA Cricket, speaking anonymously, clarified that the visa issue is being managed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and that the refusal was mistakenly conveyed by one player.
According to reports, the four players were born in Pakistan but are now US citizens. Under India’s
visa regulations, individuals born in Pakistan must apply for visas using their country of birth passports. One of the players named by Ali Khan confirmed to the publication that their visas are delayed and in process, not rejected.
As India and Sri Lanka prepare to co-host the Twenty20 World Cup from February 7 to March 8, the visa delays are expected to garner significant attention. This issue could affect players from eight other countries besides the US, including the UAE, Oman, Nepal, Canada, England, Zimbabwe, and the Netherlands, and potentially Italy.
Sources within the ICC have indicated that special instructions have been issued to all Indian embassies and High Commissions to handle the visas for Pakistan-origin players as a special case. The ICC is hopeful that these directives will prevent any further visa issues. This situation echoes past difficulties faced by Pakistani-origin players, such as the Zulfiqar brothers in 2019 and Shiraz Ahmed in the 2023 World Cup, as well as Australia’s Usman Khawaja in 2017 and England’s Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Basheer in 2024.
The ICC has committed to assisting teams with visa acquisition, although the current situation has added to their workload.
With IANS Inputs
