England’s Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed Await Indian Visas Ahead of T20 World Cup

England’s players Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed are awaiting Indian visas to participate in the ICC T20 World Cup. According to British media, both cricketers are waiting for approval from Indian authorities and will not travel to Sri Lanka later this week with the rest of the squad. England is set to play a white-ball series in Sri Lanka before heading to India for their T20 World Cup matches.

The white-ball series will begin on January 22, after which England will compete in the T20 World Cup in India. Their first match is scheduled against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8.

British media reports state that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) submitted all visa applications immediately after receiving the official invitation from the ICC.

Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed were involved in franchise cricket at the time, submitting their visa applications from abroad—Rashid was in Dubai for the ILT T20, while Ahmed was in Australia for the BBL.

Media reports indicate that Rehan Ahmed is still in Australia, while Adil Rashid is awaiting visa confirmation. ECB officials are in contact with the Indian board and relevant authorities to expedite the process.

It is worth noting that in the past, British players with Pakistani backgrounds have faced difficulties obtaining Indian visas. For instance, Shoaib Bashir experienced delays in 2024, and Saqib Mahmood also faced similar challenges previously.