Four Pakistan-Born USA Players Denied Indian Visa, T20 World Cup Chances In Jeopardy: Report
Four Pakistani-origin cricketers, who were picked to be part of the United States team, have been denied visas to visit India, threatening their participation in next month's T20 World Cup
- 4 Pakistan-born players in the US cricket team were denied Indian visas for the T20 World Cup, stated a report
- Players affected include Ali Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin and Ehsan Adil
- ICC is assisting teams with visa issues amid increased workload due to these cases
Four Pakistani-origin cricketers, who were picked to be part of the United States team, have been denied visas to visit India, threatening their participation in next month's T20 World Cup, a news report claimed on Tuesday. One of the players told Telecom Asia Sport that he, along with three others, had been denied visas to travel to India for the T20 World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. "Yes, it is true that three Pakistani-origin players have been denied an Indian visa, which means we are unable to feature in the Twenty20 World Cup," pacer Ali Khan said in a video message to telecomasia.net.
The other three players named in the 20-man USA squad for the T20 World Cup are Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin, and Ehsan Adil, the report stated.
According to the report, all three were born in Pakistan but are now US citizens. Under India's visa rules, all Pakistan-born individuals must apply for a visa using their passport from their country of birth.
The issue means eight countries could be affected. Besides the USA, players from the UAE, Oman, Nepal, Canada, England, Zimbabwe, and the Netherlands also have cricketers of Pakistani origin.
Adil was born in Sheikhupura and played three Tests and six ODIs for Pakistan between 2013 and 2015. He migrated to the USA four years ago and now plays for Kingsmen USA. Khan was born in Attock in Punjab, Shayan in Karachi, and Mohsin in Mingora in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The report also claimed that the issue has troubled Pakistani-origin players in the past, with the Zulfiqar brothers - Sikander and Saqib - denied visas in 2019, while another player, Shiraz Ahmed, had his visa delayed for the 2023 World Cup. Australia's opener Usman Khawaja (2017) and England spinners Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Bashir (2024) have also faced visa problems previously.
Sources in the International Cricket Council said they are assisting teams in acquiring visas, but the latest issue has increased their workload.
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