England’s preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026 have been disrupted as spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed are facing visa delays from the Indian government.
Both players have Pakistani origin and hence will be subjected to additional administrative scrutiny during visa applications, regardless of nationality or team affiliation.
The delay in the visa means Rashid and Rehan are unlikely to travel to Sri Lanka with the rest of the England squad this weekend. The Three Lions are scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20Is against Sri Lanka from January 22 to February 3, in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup.
Notably, Rashid and Rehan are part of both white-ball squad, and it is not yet known if they will be able to reach Sri Lanka in time for the ODI series.
According to a report in The Guardian, the visa delays have not come as a surprise to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as the players with Pakistani origin have received visas late from India even before.
During England’s Test tour of India in 2023-24, Shoaib Bashir missed the series opener in Hyderabad as he had to fly back to London to complete the visa application process while Saqib Mahmood also faced issues in the past.
The report further stated that the ECB has received assurances from the Indian government that there are no objections to either player’s visa application. However, the timeline remains unclear, prompting the ECB to seek assistance from the UK government in an attempt to expedite the process.
Rashid is currently plying his trade in the SA20 T20 competition in South Africa, while Rehan is in Australia featuring in the Big Bash League. It is hoped that both will be able to travel directly from those locations to Sri Lanka or India.
Despite the hurdle, the ECB remains confident that the necessary visas will be issued in time for Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed to participate in the T20 World Cup.
England’s campaign is set to get underway on February 8 against Nepal in Mumbai, and they will arrive in the global showpiece under significant pressure following a 1-4 Ashes debacle.
