England's preparations for the T20 World Cup have been disrupted after spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed were denied visas by the Indian government in time to travel with the squad to Sri Lanka this weekend. The pair, both of Pakistani heritage, will likely miss the six warm-up matches against Sri Lanka starting on 22 January.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has become accustomed to bureaucratic delays from India due to worsening diplomatic ties with Pakistan. Similar issues affected Shoaib Bashir and Saqib Mahmood in the past. However, the ECB has received assurances from Indian authorities that there is no objection to the applications, and the UK government has been enlisted to expedite the process.
Rashid is currently playing in the SA20 in South Africa, while Ahmed is in Australia for the Big Bash. The ECB is confident both will receive visas in time for the World Cup, which begins for England against Nepal in Mumbai on 8 February. However, the disruption comes as head coach Brendon McCullum faces pressure after a 4-1 Ashes defeat and a poor Champions Trophy campaign.
Captain Harry Brook is also under scrutiny after being fined £30,000 by the ECB for a nightclub altercation in New Zealand. England's group includes West Indies, Bangladesh, and Italy, but the Super Eight stage is expected to be highly competitive.
With Liam Dawson as the only other specialist spinner in the squad, Brook may have to rely on part-time options Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell if Rashid and Ahmed are delayed further. Additionally, the venue for England's group match against Bangladesh is uncertain due to security concerns amid India-Pakistan tensions.
