Adil Rashid, Rehan Ahmed hit by visa delays as England panic ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

England’s preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026 have suffered an early setback after spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed encountered visa delays for travel to India. Pakistan-born USA players have also faced similar issues, raising concerns over teams' preparations ahead of the showpiece tournament.

Four Pakistan-born players from the United States - Ali Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin, and Ehsan Adil - are still waiting for clearance to travel to India for the T20 World Cup 2026. However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is also awaiting visas for Rashid and Rehan for the tournament.

England Face Visa Setback Ahead of T20 World Cup

England have hit a setback in their build-up to the T20 World Cup after Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed failed to receive visas to travel to India for the tournament. As a result, they are unlikely to travel with the rest of the squad for the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka.

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The two spinners will not be able to join the team for now, and there is no clarity on when they will link up with their teammates during the Sri Lanka tour.

According to The Guardian, the England and Wales Cricket Board has been informed by the Indian government that there are no objections to the players’ visa applications. The board is now working with the UK government to speed up the process, but the timeline remains uncertain.

Adil Rashid, Rehan Ahmed Await Visa Clearance Ahead of T20 World Cup

Adil Rashid is in South Africa, where he is playing in the SA20, while Rehan Ahmed is in Australia for the Big Bash League. Once their visas are approved, both players are expected to travel directly from their current locations to Sri Lanka or India, depending on the team schedule.

The visa delays did not come as a surprise to the England and Wales Cricket Board, as similar issues have occurred in recent years. The board has previously dealt with slow visa processing, especially amid rising geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan.

In 2024, Shoaib Bashir missed the first Test of England’s tour of India after returning to London to complete his visa process. Saqib Mahmood has also faced comparable visa-related problems in the past.

England Face Multiple Challenges Ahead of T20 World Cup

England will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8. They come into the tournament under pressure after suffering a 1-4 defeat in the Ashes series.

Before the World Cup, England are scheduled to tour Sri Lanka, where they will play three ODIs and three T20Is starting on January 22. However, head coach Harry Brook could face selection challenges if Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed do not arrive in time.

With only Liam Dawson named as a specialist spinner, part-time options such as Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell may need to shoulder a bigger bowling load. England are also facing uncertainty around their group-stage match against Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has requested that all of its matches be moved out of India due to security concerns and has asked the International Cricket Council to shift the fixtures to Sri Lanka. Although the ICC has already rejected the request once, Bangladesh have not changed their stance.

Also read: England announce boycott of day-night Ashes Tests in Australia