England’s cricket team is staring down a major headache just days before the T20 World Cup kicks off in the West Indies and USA. Star leg-spinner Adil Rashid and rising talent Rehan Ahmed are stuck in visa limbo, threatening to disrupt the squad’s preparations.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the issue late Wednesday, revealing that both players, who are of Pakistani origin, are experiencing delays in securing US visas. The tournament opener is less than two weeks away on June 1, putting immense pressure on officials to resolve the matter swiftly.
Rashid, 36, brings invaluable experience with 65 T20I wickets at an economy rate of 7.21. He’s been England’s go-to spinner in white-ball formats. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Ahmed burst onto the scene last year, claiming 10 wickets in his debut Test series against Pakistan. Their absence could leave a gaping hole in the spin department.
This isn’t uncharted territory. Similar visa hurdles plagued teams ahead of the 2024 IPL, where several Pakistani-origin players missed out. With heightened security protocols for the World Cup across nine US venues, processing times have stretched.
ECB officials are working around the clock with US embassy staff and have backup plans in place. Acting head coach Paul Collingwood addressed the media post-net session: ‘We’re optimistic but prepared for all scenarios. The boys have trained well without them.’
Rashid himself took to social media, urging fans to stay calm: ‘Visa stuff takes time. Focused on what I can control.’ Ahmed echoed similar sentiments.
England’s campaign begins against Scotland on June 4 in Barbados. A resolution is expected within 48 hours, sources indicate. Failure to secure visas could force late replacements, testing the depth of an already transitional squad post-Jos Buttler injury concerns.
The visa saga underscores broader logistical challenges for the first major ICC event co-hosted by the USA. While organizers tout unprecedented scale, such administrative snags risk overshadowing the cricket.