NEW DELHI: Visa issues linked to the upcoming T20 World Cup in India are no longer limited to the United States team. The problem has now reached England’s camp as well. Two England players, Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, are facing delays in getting their visas cleared for travel to India, according to a report from the English media outlet The Guardian.
The delay has created uncertainty around their availability for England’s warm-up matches. The team is scheduled to play Sri Lanka this weekend, but both Rashid and Rehan may miss those games due to the pending paperwork.With the situation escalating, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has stepped in.The board has reportedly been assured that visas for Rashid and Rehan Ahmed will be issued before the tournament begins.The Indian government has also confirmed that there are no objections to the two players’ applications.To speed up the process, the ECB has sought help from the UK government. Officials are working to ensure the documentation is completed in time.At present, both players are overseas. Adil Rashid is playing in South Africa’s SA20 league. Rehan Ahmed is currently part of the Big Bash League in Australia.Despite the hurdles, England remain confident. The team expects both players to join the squad before their opening match. England are scheduled to face Nepal in Mumbai on February 8.Similarly, four Pakistan-born players from the United States squad ran into similar trouble. Ali Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin and Ehsan Adil are still waiting for clearance to travel to India.England are also dealing with another off-field issue. Their match against Bangladesh still does not have a confirmed venue. The delay is due to ongoing administrative issues between the ICC and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).Bangladesh have reportedly asked for all their matches to be moved out of India and shifted to Sri Lanka. The ICC has already rejected this request once. However, the BCB has not backed down and continues to push for a change.
