The development comes a day after fast bowler Ali Khan encountered a similar issue following scheduled appointments at the Indian High Commission in Colombo.
According to a report in Cricbuzz, Shayan Jahangir, Mohammad Mohsin and Ehsan Adil are awaiting visa clearance to travel to India for the ICC tournament, which is set to begin early next month.
The entire USA squad is currently in Sri Lanka for its final round of World Cup preparations, with the remaining players having completed their visa appointments on Tuesday. The report added that while there have been no formal visa rejections, the applications of the four players remain under review as part of “established operating procedures”. Sources in the ICC confirmed that all required documents were submitted ahead of the appointments.
“They had the appointment this morning at the Indian Embassy in Sri Lanka. They completed the paperwork as per what ICC had asked them to prior to the appointments. At the appointment, the players were informed that the visas could not be processed at this stage. Later in the evening, USA management received a call from the Indian Embassy indicating that some of the required information had been received, while additional inputs were still awaited from the Foreign Ministry. Once that process is complete, they will be contacted to proceed further. That is the current status” said the source.
While the report clarified that the review process in special-category cases is routine and is being handled in accordance with Indian government protocols, Ali Khan’s social media post, referencing a “visa denial” on Tuesday, sparked speculation online.
This is not the first instance of Pakistan-origin players facing visa clearance issues due to the additional administrative layers involved in the review process, irrespective of team affiliation. International cricketers such as Moeen Ali, Shoaib Bashir and Usman Khawaja have previously gone through similar procedures. The report added that in such cases, timelines often extend beyond initial appointments, as clearances are required from multiple departments, including final approval from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
The visa uncertainty comes amid broader questions surrounding the upcoming World Cup, stemming from ongoing friction between the Bangladesh Cricket Board and the ICC over Bangladesh’s reluctance to tour India for its scheduled fixtures.
The USA find themselves in the same group as India and Pakistan and will begin their campaign on February 7 against the defending champions in Mumbai.