Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed VISA delayed ? HUGE blow for England

Ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, England’s preparations have been disrupted with the Indian government yet to issue visas to spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, according to a reports from the English

media. This VISA delay means both players who have Pakistani heritage are unlikely to travel with the rest of the squad this weekend for the six white-ball matches which includes three ODIs and three T20Is against Sri Lanka, and it remains unclear when they will join their teammates. This was reported by Guardian.

Adil Rashid is playing in the SA20, while Rehan Ahmed is in Australia for the Big Bash League and the initial was they will be able to fly directly from those locations once their visas are cleared. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been assured there is no objection to their applications and has sought assistance from the UK government to expedite the process, though the report added that the timing remains uncertain.

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Hence Adil Rashid and Ahmed might be unavailable for the upcoming series until their VISA is cleared, Liam Dawson is the squad’s only specialist spinner while Will Jacks is also another option in the squad. England will start their Sri Lanka tour on January 22 with the first ODI in Colombo.

England will begin their T20 World Cup against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8 and it remains to be seen whether both players are cleared in time for the tournament. In the past players who have Pakistan heritage have been approved VISA but it takes some more time compared to other countries. So Adil Rashid and Rehan are highly likely to get their VISA ahead of the main event but the timeline remains unsure and could mess up England’s plan.