Good news for England’s ‘Pakistani’ players ahead of T20 World Cup 2026, receive…

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is assisting with visa formalities for 42 players and officials of Pakistani origin who are set to participate in the T20 World Cup in India.

In the England squad, players of Pakistani descent include spinners Adil Rashid, Rehan Ahmed and pacer Saqib Mahmood. The USA will be represented by Ali Khan and Shayan Jahangir, while the Netherlands has Zulfiqar Saqib, among others.

What is the good news?

According to reports, visas have already been cleared for England’s Rashid, Rehan, and Saqib. Members of the Netherlands squad and Canada staffer Shah Saleem Zafar have also received their visas.

Visa arrangements are still in progress for players and officials of Pakistani origin from the UAE, USA, Italy, Bangladesh and Canada. Appointments for these teams have been scheduled for early next week, moving the process into its final stage. The deadline for issuing all visas is January 31.

Why are these clearances important?

These clearances are important because players of Pakistani descent are spread across both full-member and associate cricket nations. The ICC’s efforts cover cricketers, officials, and standby personnel from multiple teams, aiming to prevent any last-minute problems ahead of the tournament.

What is the ICC doing?

The ICC has been coordinating closely with Indian High Commissions in various countries to ensure that remaining visa applications are processed efficiently. Authorities have assured that pending cases will be handled on time.

With visa facilitation progressing as planned, the ICC expects all participating teams to be fully prepared logistically before the T20 World Cup begins on February 7. Visa applications from people of Pakistani origin generally face extra scrutiny in India, which often results in longer processing times.