The 2026 T20 World Cup gets underway on February 7, and England open their campaign a day later in Mumbai against Nepal. But a fresh complication has surfaced: visa delays for two of England’s frontline spinners, Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, which could disrupt the team’s preparations.
Visa complications for Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed
Both Rashid and Rehan have family roots in Pakistan, and players with Pakistani lineage often face extra administrative and security checks when travelling to India. That additional scrutiny means the pair could miss England’s pre-tournament stop in Sri Lanka and potentially see their arrival for the World Cup delayed.
England will tour Sri Lanka for a three-match ODI series starting on January 22, led by Harry Brook. With Rashid and Rehan likely unavailable for that series, Brook’s spin options will be thinner and England’s final squad cohesion could be affected ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Where the two players currently are
- Adil Rashid is finishing commitments in South Africa with the SA20 T20 league.
- Rehan Ahmed is currently in Australia playing in the Big Bash League.
What the ECB and governments are doing
The England and Wales Cricket Board says Indian authorities have no fundamental objection to issuing visas for the two players, but there’s no clear timeline on when approvals will be processed. The ECB has also reached out to the UK government to help speed up the procedure.
Despite the uncertainty, the board remains hopeful that both Rashid and Rehan will receive their visas in time for England’s opening T20 World Cup match in Mumbai on February 8. England enters the tournament under pressure after a 4–1 Ashes defeat, making a full-strength squad even more important.
Broader tournament scheduling issues
Visa and security issues are not the only headaches for the tournament. Bangladesh has asked the ICC to move their group-stage matches to a neutral venue citing security concerns related to strained relations with India. Earlier, Pakistan’s fixtures were shifted to Sri Lanka for similar reasons.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reported to be resistant to further changes to the existing schedule, which leaves some fixtures and logistics in a state of uncertainty.
What this means for England’s World Cup bid
If Rashid and Rehan are delayed, England will miss two experienced spin options in key warm-up ODIs and possibly initial T20 matches. That could force team management to shuffle plans and fast-track other spinning options into match practice. On the flip side, both players are active in high-quality T20 leagues, so match sharpness is unlikely to be an issue once visas are cleared.
Key dates to watch
- January 22 – England begin their three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka.
- February 7 – T20 World Cup 2026 starts.
- February 8 – England’s World Cup opener vs Nepal in Mumbai.
With governments and cricket boards now involved, the situation will be watched closely over the next few days. Any delay in clearance could affect England’s on-field plans, but both the ECB and players are hopeful that the matter will be resolved before the tournament gets fully under way.