New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) The International Cricket Council has stepped in to facilitate visa formalities for all 42 players and officials of Pakistan origin bound for the T20 World Cup in India.
In the England squad, cricketers of Pakistan lineage include spinners Adil Rashid, Rehan Ahmed and pacer Saqiib Mahmood.
USA will be represented by Ali Khan and Shayan Jahangir while the Netherlands have Zulfiqar Saqib to name a few.
PTI has learned that visas have already been cleared for England players Rashid, Rehan and Saqib. Members of the Netherlands squad have also received their visas. Canada staff member Shah Saleem Zafar has been granted clearance as well.
Visa arrangements are currently underway for players and officials of Pakistan nationality or origin who are part of teams from United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, Italy, Bangladesh and Canada.
For these teams, visa appointments have already been scheduled for early next week, indicating that the process is moving into its final phase. The deadline for visa issuance for participants is January 31.
These clearances are seen as an important early step, given the diverse representation of players of Pakistani descent across associate and full-member nations.
The ICC exercise covers cricketers, officials and standby personnel across multiple teams, underlining the governing body’s attempt to pre-empt any last-minute complications ahead of the global event.
The ICC, which is overseeing the coordination process, has remained in constant communication with Indian High Commissions in multiple cities across continents.
The aim has been to ensure that visa applications for the remaining players and officials are handled efficiently and without procedural delays.
The council has received assurances that the pending cases will be processed smoothly within the stipulated timelines.
With visa facilitation progressing as planned, the ICC believes that all participating teams will be fully prepared from a logistical standpoint before the tournament gets underway on February 7.
India visa applicants from Pakistan origin attract more scrutiny and processing times are longer than usual. PTI BS BS
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