Visa Delays Impact England's T20 World Cup Squad Preparations

Visa Issues Affect England's T20 World Cup Readiness

Preparations for England's T20 World Cup have hit a snag as the Indian government has yet to grant visas to spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, according to reports.

This delay suggests that both players, who have roots in Pakistan, may not be able to join their teammates for the upcoming six white-ball matches against Sri Lanka, which include three ODIs and three T20Is, scheduled for this weekend.

Currently, Rashid is participating in the SA20 league, while Ahmed is competing in the Big Bash League in Australia. There is hope that they can fly directly to India once their visa issues are resolved.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been informed that there are no objections to their visa applications and is working with the UK government to speed up the process, although the timeline remains uncertain.

With Rashid and Ahmed unavailable, Liam Dawson stands as the only specialist spinner in the squad, which may require Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell to bowl more than originally intended.

England's tour of Sri Lanka kicks off on January 22 with the first ODI in Colombo.

Their T20 World Cup journey begins against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8, and it is unclear if both players will be cleared in time for the tournament.

Additionally, there are concerns regarding England's group match against Bangladesh in Kolkata, as the Bangladeshi team has expressed reluctance to travel to India following tensions involving fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman.

Bangladesh has threatened to withdraw unless their matches are relocated to a neutral venue, while the BCCI remains hopeful that the original schedule will be upheld.

The situation escalated when the BCCI directed the Kolkata Knight Riders to exclude Mustafizur from their lineup due to political issues between the two nations.