Pakistan-origin England pacer Saqib faces delay in securing Indian visa: Report

England pacer Saqib Mahmood has been sidelined from the team’s crucial pre-series training camp in Abu Dhabi due to delays in securing his visa for the upcoming white-ball series against India. While the rest of England’s pace unit, including Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, and Brydon Carse, fine-tunes their preparation under the guidance of James Anderson, Mahmood’s travel plans remain stalled as he awaits approval from Indian authorities.

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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has remained tight-lipped but remains hopeful that Mahmood’s visa will be cleared before the team departs for Kolkata later this week. With the first T20I scheduled for January 17, the ECB expects the matter to be resolved swiftly, allowing Mahmood to reunite with his teammates.

Despite his current absence, Mahmood isn’t new to such complications. In 2019, visa hurdles forced him to withdraw from an England Lions tour to India, marking a frustrating repeat of past challenges. This issue has often affected players of Pakistani descent, with Mahmood joining a list that includes Shoaib Bashir, who faced similar delays during England's Test series against India last year, and had to be ruled out of the Hyderabad Test.

Other players of Pakistani heritage in the current squad, including Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, have already secured their clearances, underscoring the isolated nature of Mahmood's situation. The delay required him to surrender his passport during the application process, preventing him from joining the Abu Dhabi training sessions.

The 27-year-old has battled his share of challenges over the years, including a string of injuries that derailed his momentum following a promising Test debut in 2022. Despite this, he showcased his resilience with standout performances, including a match-winning spell in the 2024 Hundred final and a stellar player-of-the-series showing in England’s Caribbean T20 tour later that year.

As England continues its preparations, Mahmood’s delayed participation is a minor hiccup in what promises to be an intense and highly anticipated series. The ECB remains confident he will soon rejoin the squad, ready to play a pivotal role in their bid for success on Indian soil.

Published By: Debodinna Chakraborty Published On: Jan 14, 2025

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