Mumbai, Jan 5 (NationPress) Six teams that have qualified for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup have reached out to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for assistance in obtaining visas for players in their squads who possess Pakistani passports, according to a news report.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, Canada, Italy, the USA, and the Netherlands have selected players with Pakistani heritage for the T20 World Cup, which is to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. They are concerned about potential delays in securing visas for these athletes. The UAE, home to multiple Pakistani-origin players who may encounter difficulties obtaining Indian visas, has taken the initiative to ask the ICC for help, as reported by Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net).

“The UAE, Oman, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States have players who were born in Pakistan, and despite holding the nationality of their respective countries, they are facing challenges in acquiring an Indian visa,” sources informed the website.

According to Indian Ministry of External Affairs regulations, individuals born in Pakistan or whose parents or grandparents were born there must apply for a visa using a Pakistani passport, even if they possess another nationality.

“Players from the UAE and Oman have submitted visa applications, but there are concerns that they will not receive permission to participate in India unless the ICC intervenes,” Telecom Asia quoted the sources.

The UAE's squad includes Mohammad Waseem, Jawad Ullah, Mohammad Rohid, Khuzaima Tanveer, Haider Ali, Asif Khan, and Junaid Siddiqui, all of whom were born in Pakistan and are likely to face visa challenges since they do not hold UAE passports. The UAE does not grant nationality to foreigners.

Oman also fields players of Pakistani descent, including Fayyaz Butt, Hammad Mirza, Shah Faisal, Mohammad Nadeem, and Sufyan Mahmood, among others.

There is a precedent for players of Pakistani origin experiencing delays or visa denials. In 2024, England off-spinner Shoaib Basheer, raised in the UK, faced visa delays due to his father’s background in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK). Similarly, spinner Rehan Ahmed encountered similar issues last year.

The report further revealed that Usman Khawaja, an Australia-based cricketer of Pakistani origin, also had his visa delayed during his team's Test tour of India in 2023.

In 2019, Netherlands’ brothers Sikander and Saqib Zulfiqar, who were part of the Dutch team, faced visa delays while touring India, while their teammates received approvals promptly.

Only a small number of Pakistani fans were granted Indian visas for the 2023 ODI World Cup.

Relations between Pakistan and India have been tense, with a military confrontation occurring in May last year following a terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. This led to India conducting airstrikes to dismantle terrorist infrastructure across the border.

India declined to visit Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, opting to play all matches in the UAE. Subsequently, Pakistan's women’s team has not traveled to India for the 50-over World Cup, and the Asia Cup was moved from India to the UAE due to Pakistan's refusal to tour.

In the forthcoming T20 World Cup, Pakistan is scheduled to play its matches in Colombo, with the Sri Lankan capital selected as a backup venue for potential semifinals and finals should the Pakistan team advance.