Men’s T20 World Cup: 4 Pakistani-origin US players denied Indian visas
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Mumbai: Four Pakistani-origin cricketers selected for the United States team have been denied visas to travel to India, putting their participation in next month’s Men’s Twenty20 World Cup, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, in jeopardy, a report said on Tuesday.
Pacer Ali Khan confirmed the development in a video message to Telecom Asia Sport. “Yes, it is true that three Pakistani-origin players are denied an Indian visa, which means we are unable to feature in the Twenty20 World Cup,” he said.
The other three players in the 20-man USA squad affected by the visa issue are Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin, and Ehsan Adil. According to the report, all three were born in Pakistan but are now US citizens. Under India’s visa rules, individuals born in Pakistan must apply for a visa using their Pakistani passport, complicating their travel plans.
Adil, born in Sheikhupura, played three Tests and six ODIs for Pakistan between 2013 and 2015 before migrating to the USA four years ago, where he now represents Kingsmen USA. Khan was born in Attock (Punjab), Shayan in Karachi, and Mohsin in Mingora (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).
The visa issue is not limited to the USA team. Players of Pakistani origin in squads from the UAE, Oman, Nepal, Canada, England, Zimbabwe, and the Netherlands could also face similar hurdles, affecting a total of eight countries.
Past instances show this is a recurring problem. In 2019, Pakistani-origin players Sikander and Saqib Zulfiqar were denied visas, while Shiraz Ahmed faced delays ahead of the 2023 World Cup. Australia’s opener Usman Khawaja (2017) and England spinners Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Basheer (2024) also faced similar visa challenges.
Sources from the International Cricket Council (ICC) said they are assisting teams in obtaining visas, but the latest development has increased their administrative workload ahead of the global tournament.
With IANS inputs