Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) remains confident that Indian visas for all players, support staff and officials of Pakistani origin or nationality involved in the upcoming T20 World Cup will be arranged in time.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The assurance from the global governing body comes amid heightened scrutiny over visa clearances following recent delays faced by a few players. While visas for England’s Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid have now been issued, the ICC has underlined that their cases are part of a wider pool of applications and that the overall process is firmly on track, according to an ESPNcricinfo report.
As per the report, there are as many as 42 applications spanning multiple teams participating in the tournament, including Canada, the Netherlands, the UAE, England, Italy, Bangladesh and the USA. The list includes not just players but also members of support staff and officials.Visa delays for individuals of Pakistani origin have been a recurring issue in recent years, largely due to strained political and diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan. The matter resurfaced prominently last week after USA fast bowler Ali Khan claimed on social media that he had been denied an Indian visa.
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The ICC, however, has adopted a more hands-on approach this time. It is understood to be in constant communication with Indian High Commissions and Consulates across several countries to ensure applications are handled smoothly and without unnecessary hold-ups. Visas have already been issued to players and officials from the Netherlands and Canada, the report further added.Meanwhile, visa appointments for members of the UAE, USA, Italy, Bangladesh and Canada squads are scheduled to take place early next week. The ICC believes these appointments will pave the way for the remaining approvals to be completed within the stipulated timeframe.The governing body is confident that all outstanding visas will be issued by January 31. With the first matches of the T20 World Cup scheduled for February 7, the ICC maintains that there is sufficient time to resolve any remaining formalities.
