Adil Rashid, Rehan Ahmed's visa delay concerns England before T20 World Cup 2026

Rehan and Adil facing T20 World Cup 2026 visa issue [Source: @TsMeSalman/X]

After much debate surrounding visa delays for four USA cricketers ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, the England team has now encountered a similar issue. England players Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed are facing unexpected delays in receiving their Indian visas for the upcoming tournament.

While both players are currently featuring in overseas T20 leagues with Adil Rashid in South Africa’s SA20 and Rehan Ahmed in Australia’s Big Bash League, the delay could limit their preparation time, particularly their involvement in key warm-up fixtures before the tournament begins in India.

Adil, Rehan’s visas delayed, not rejected

While this may not concern spectators, it poses a significant challenge for the players. Acclimatising to local conditions, especially pitch behaviour at the host venues, is crucial, particularly for bowlers like Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed.

Match practice on Indian surfaces is considered a major advantage ahead of a global tournament. Nevertheless, the England and Wales Cricket Board has confirmed that the visa applications were submitted well within the stipulated timeline and that there were no objections raised by cricketing authorities.

Although the process has been delayed, Indian authorities are reportedly making active efforts to expedite approvals. The ECB has assured that visas for both Rashid and Rehan will be issued in time for the T20 World Cup 2026 in India.

The visa complication with Pakistan-origin players

Visa-related complications for Pakistan-origin players have been a recurring issue, largely due to India’s stricter regulations amid heightened geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.

The issue first gained attention when USA fast bowler Ali Khan, who is Pakistan-born and represents the United States, took to social media to claim that his Indian visa application, along with those of three other teammates, had been declined.

However, a USA Cricket official later dismissed those claims, clarifying that the visas were delayed due to a more complex application process involving additional scrutiny. The official stated that the applications had not been rejected outright and were still under consideration.

Why Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid are facing visa issues?

The roots of Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid have reportedly complicated their Indian visa process. Although both players were born and brought up in England, their family origins trace back to Pakistan. 

Rehan Ahmed, born in 2004 in Nottingham, England, has deep links to Pakistan cricket through his father who played club cricket in Pakistan before moving to England in 2001.

Adil Rashid, similarly, was born in 1988 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, but grew up as a British-Pakistani. His parents migrated to England from Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan, in 1967.

While both players are England-born and represent England internationally, their Pakistani family roots linked to their parents are believed to be a factor behind the delay in their Indian visa approvals.

Is Sikandar Raza also facing India visa issue ahead of T20 World Cup?

A similar controversy emerged when reports suggested that Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza, who was also born in Pakistan, had been denied a visa, with rumours even claiming that Zimbabwe could boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 if Raza was not allowed to enter India. Those claims were later dismissed as false by a Zimbabwean cricket journalist.

With such complications still unresolved and the tournament set to begin in less than three weeks, the ICC faces pressure to accelerate visa processing to ensure smooth participation for players from all nations. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to get underway on February 7.