The International Cricket Council (ICC), under the leadership of Jay Shah, has intervened to ensure players and officials of Pakistani origin receive Indian visas in time for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to be hosted across India and Sri Lanka from February to March.
According to a PTI report, the ICC is coordinating the visa process for around 42 players and officials of Pakistani nationality or descent who are part of various international squads participating in the tournament. Several full-member and associate nations feature players of Pakistani origin.
England, for example, include spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed and pacer Saqib Mahmood, while the United States have Ali Khan and Shayan Jahangir. The Netherlands squad includes Zulfiqar Saqib, and Canada has staff member Shah Saleem Zafar. Visas for England and Netherlands players, as well as some officials, have already been cleared.
The ICC is handling the applications proactively to prevent any last-minute issues, maintaining constant communication with Indian High Commissions across multiple countries. Officials stressed that the aim is to ensure all applications, including remaining players and support personnel, are processed efficiently without unnecessary delays.
The move comes after reports that some USA cricketers of Pakistani origin, including Ali Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin, and Ehsan Adil, were awaiting visa clearance, prompting concerns on social media. Indian authorities generally scrutinize visa applications from Pakistani nationals or origin due to security considerations, especially given historical incidents such as the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
While the Pakistan cricket team will play all its matches in Sri Lanka following the PCB’s refusal to travel to India, the ICC’s intervention highlights efforts to facilitate smooth participation for other players of Pakistani origin across teams, pre-empting potential logistical or diplomatic complications ahead of the marquee tournament.