England’s T20 World Cup plans hit by Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed visa delays

[sage]

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/jan/14/visa-issue-hits-england-preparations-t20-world-cup-adil-rashid-rehan-ahmed-india-government-ecb

 

• Indian government yet to issue visas to spinners

• Ahmed and Rashid unlikely to fly to Sri Lanka this week

England have had a setback in their preparations for the T20 World Cup next month with the Indian government yet to issue visas to the spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed.

The delay means both players, who have Pakistani heritage, are unlikely to travel with the rest of the squad this weekend for six warm-up games against Sri Lanka, and it is unclear when they will join their teammates.

 

The visa delays have not come as a surprise to the England and Wales Cricket Board, which has become accustomed to the Indian government’s bureaucratic approach in recent years due to its worsening diplomatic and political relations with Pakistan.

Shoaib Bashir missed the first Test of England’s series in India two years ago, as he had to fly back to London to complete the visa application process, while Saqib Mahmood has had issues in the past.

The ECB is understood to have received assurances from the Indian government that it has no objection to both players’ applications, but the timing is uncertain and it has engaged help from the UK government in an attempt to expedite the process. Rashid is in South Africa playing in the SA20 T20 competition, while Ahmed is in Australia for the Big Bash, and it is hoped they will be able to fly from there straight to Sri Lanka or India.

[Manucrick]

This is crazy 

[Gollum]

Farce. GOI/BCCI ruining the sport. 

 

Not a fair contest this. 

Edited January 15 by Gollum

[Nikhil_cric]

This is a joke. 

[putrevus]

Question is did ECB apply for visas for all players at the same time.Or did players apply them seperately.

 

Rashid and Rehan will get their visas.This is English media creating mountain out of a molehill.

 

They did same nonsense when England toured during their test series also in 2024.

[sage]

They’re British born aren’t they? Assume only an issue if they’re dual national 

Edited January 18 by sage

[Zero_Unit]

On 1/15/2026 at 7:29 AM, putrevus said:

 

Rashid and Rehan will get their visas.This is English media creating mountain out of a molehill.

 

I have to disagree about crating a mountain. This is just bad press from all around for India and BCCI no matter how you look at it. Already the BCB issue and now pak National (born or not) cricketers issue.

[putrevus]

4 minutes ago, Zero_Unit said:

I have to disagree about crating a mountain. This is just bad press from all around for India and BCCI no matter how you look at it. Already the BCB issue and now pak National (born or not) cricketers issue.

IMO it is not a big deal unless they don't get visas beore their departure date .