England fast bowler with Pakistan roots faces visa issues ahead of IND vs ENG 2025 T20Is: Reports

England pacer Saqib Mahmood has yet to obtain his visa to travel with the squad for the upcoming white-ball tour of India. The England Cricket Board (ECB) were forced to cancel his flight since his passport is still with the Indian Embassy. As a result, he has been left stranded in England, with only a week remaining for the tour to commence.

According to a report by Daily Mail, Mahmood has been unable to train due to freezing conditions in England. The ECB had planned a pace bowling camp in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for which the likes of Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, and Jofra Archer left on Thursday, January 9. Fast bowling mentor James Anderson is also present to oversee the proceedings.

The England squad are scheduled to leave for India on Friday, January 17. Mahmood is currently awaiting a resolution to the issue, as his participation in the tour remains uncertain. The ECB have refused to comment on the situation and are yet to release an official statement.

Mahmood, born to British-Pakistan parents in 1997, was denied entry in India in 2024 when Lancashire toured the country. He faced similar issues in 2019 and could not travel with the England Lions squad for the subcontinent tour.

England's tour of India begins with the first T20I on January 22 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The pacer has been named in both the ODI and T20I squads for the series against India and the ensuing Champions Trophy 2025.

England's Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed also faced visa issues during the red-ball tour of India in 2024

England spinners Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed also had to tussle to obtain a visa for the five-match Test series against India in early 2024.

Bashir was stranded in the UAE due to visa issues and had to miss the series opener in Hyderabad. He went on to make his debut in the second Test in Vizag after the visa issues were sorted out.

As far as Rehan Ahmed is concerned, he was held at the Rajkot airport after he was found to have only a single-entry visa. He was part of the traveling reserves during the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. Although the visa issue was sorted out, he did not partake in the rest of the series as he withdrew from the squad due to personal reasons. Rehan Ahmed has been granted his visa for the tour this time around.