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Visa Delays Put England Spinners Rashid and Ahmed in Doubt for Sri Lanka Warm-Ups

The ECB is engaging Indian authorities to secure clearances before England's Feb. 8 opener in Mumbai.

Overview

  • Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed have not yet received Indian visas, creating uncertainty over immediate travel plans for the World Cup build-up.
  • The pair are now unlikely to depart with England for the six-match white-ball series in Sri Lanka that begins on January 22.
  • The ECB says it has been told there are no government objections to the applications and remains confident both will be available for the opener against Nepal.
  • To expedite processing, the ECB is coordinating with the BCCI and ICC and has also sought assistance from the UK government.
  • Rashid is playing in South Africa’s SA20 and Ahmed in Australia’s Big Bash League, with plans to travel directly once cleared, in a situation reminiscent of past delays involving Shoaib Bashir and Saqib Mahmood.