Claims that India has denied visas to four US players of Pakistani origin ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 have been clarified as a delay, not a rejection. The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, is scheduled to begin on February 7.
In a social media video, USA pacer Ali Khan said that he, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin, and Ehsan Adil were refused visas to travel to India. However, a USA Cricket official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the visas are still being processed by the ICC and that the refusal was a miscommunication. One of the players also confirmed that their applications are delayed but not denied.
All four players were born in Pakistan but now hold US citizenship. Under India’s visa rules, individuals born in Pakistan must apply using their country-of-birth passports, which has contributed to the delay.
Visa issues could affect players from several other nations, including UAE, Oman, Nepal, Canada, England, Zimbabwe, the Netherlands, and possibly Italy. ICC sources said special instructions have been issued to Indian embassies and high commissions to expedite visas for Pakistan-origin players.
This situation is reminiscent of past challenges faced by Pakistan-origin players in World Cups, including the Zulfiqar brothers (2019), Shiraz Ahmed (2023), Australia’s Usman Khawaja (2017), and England’s Rehan Ahmed and Shoaib Basheer (2024).
The ICC has reiterated its commitment to assisting teams with visa acquisition and expects the special instructions to resolve the issue ahead of the tournament.
