Ali Khan and 3 other USA cricketers of Pakistani descent denied Indian visas for T20 World Cup 2026

by
USA Cricket Team, T20 World Cup

The USA cricket team has received a big shock just before the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. USA’s star fast bowler Ali Khan, who was born in Pakistan, has revealed that his Indian visa has been rejected, which means he may not be able to travel with the team for the tournament.

Visa trouble rocks USA camp ahead of ICC T20 World Cup 2026

The situation is even worse for the USA, as Ali Khan is not alone in having trouble getting an Indian visa for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, starting on February 7. It is being said that Shayan Jahangir, Ehsan Adil, and Mohammad Mohsin’s visa applications have been denied.

Read Also: ‘India unsafe’ claim humiliated: ICC trashes BCB’s narrative, forces Bangladesh to play T20 World Cup in India

This left the USA camp worried, as the T20 World Cup is just around the corner, and they were hoping to go in with a full-strength squad. Ali is one of their key bowlers, so losing him could hurt the team badly. If these experienced players are unable to travel to India, the USA’s chances of doing well in the showpiece event will take a big hit.

Visa storm hits T20 World Cup 2026 as multiple teams faces delay

There have been reports that several international teams are facing a major headache over visas. It is being said that the cricketers holding Pakistani passports or of Pakistani origin are struggling to get clearance to travel to India, and that played a key role in the delay of finalizing some teams’ squads.

Apart from the USA, the UAE, Oman, Italy, and Canada have all been affected by Indian visa delays. They have not yet finalized their squads for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Officials from these teams have reached out to the ICC for help, but the matter has not yet been solved, leaving players and team management worried about last-minute disruptions.

Read Also: Virat Kohli brutally trolls Shreyas Iyer with spot-on mimicry in Vadodara ODI, video goes viral

However, the visa delays are not new in global cricket tournaments, but the ICC, cricket boards, and organizers are now under pressure to ensure all players can travel and participate on time. These visa problems could have a real impact on teams’ performances in the Super 12 and Super 8 stages.

USA’s T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule and History

Meanwhile, the USA team is slotted in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Namibia for the upcoming showpiece event. They will kick off their campaign against the hosts, India, on February 7 at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The USA team will next face Pakistan on February 10 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground in Colombo, followed by the Netherlands on February 13 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Their final T20 World Cup 2026 league match is against Namibia on February 15 in Chennai.

The USA made their T20 World Cup debut in the last edition of the tournament in 2024. In their first T20 World Cup appearance, they made history by reaching the Super 8 stage. Before 2024, the USA team had played in several T20 World Cup Qualifiers but had never made it to the main tournament.