Saqib Mahmood secures visa for England's white-ball tour of India
What's the story
England's star pacer Saqib Mahmood has finally received his visa for the limited-overs series in India.
He will now be traveling with his teammates to Kolkata today. The first T20I is on Wednesday, January 22.
Mahmood's visa application was delayed due to his Pakistani heritage, which also caused him to miss a crucial training camp in the UAE.
Here are further details.
Past complications
Visa delays: A recurring issue for Mahmood
Mahmood's visa delay isn't an isolated incident. He had faced similar issues in 2019, which resulted in him being replaced for an England Lions tour of India.
In 2024, he had opted out of Lancashire's pre-season tour anticipating visa problems.
This pattern also affected England offspinner Shoaib Bashir in the past, who missed a Test against India in Hyderabad due to slow visa processing.
Career progress
Mahmood's missed training and comeback journey
Mahmood was slated to attend a pace-bowling camp in Abu Dhabi ahead of the India tour, under James Anderson. However, as his passport was with the Indian Embassy for visa processing, he couldn't attend the camp.
Despite these setbacks, Mahmood has come a long way in his career after recovering from back-to-back lower-back stress fractures last year.
He was named player of the series during England's T20I series in the Caribbean in November 2024.
Widespread problem
Visa delays: A common issue for cricketers of Pakistani origin
Mahmood's visa delay is not an isolated case, as other cricketers of Pakistani origin have also faced similar issues.
Last year, England spinner Shoaib Bashir missed the first Test match in Hyderabad as his visa was approved late.
Australian opener Usman Khawaja also faced similar delays during his 2023 tour.
These incidents underline a recurring issue that has marred several international cricket tours involving Pakistani heritage players.
Tour details
England's upcoming limited-overs tour of India
England's limited-overs tour of India starts with a T20I in Kolkata on January 22.
The team will be captained by seasoned wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler in the T20I series against India.
The series will be followed by ODIs and the Champions Trophy.
Veteran Joe Root is returning to the 50-over format after over a year, as per England's squad for the ODI tour.