IND vs ENG: Relief for Saqib Mahmood, England as Pakistan-origin pacer granted India visa after initial delay
Saqib Mahmood has played nine ODIs and 18 T20Is for England since making his debut in 2020. Earlier, the Pakistan-origin Mahmood was denied India visa twice in 2019 and 2024.
England fast-bowler Saqib Mahmood, missed the national team training camp in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been granted his visa for the India tour which starts on January 22. Mahmood, who is of Pakistani heritage, initially faced a delay in procuring his travel document, thus forcing him to miss the England's training camp in UAE.
England will play five T20Is and three ODIs, before flying to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 next month. Mahmood has been named in all the squads. The 27-year-old Lancashire seamer will now join his England teammates in UAE.
Meanwhile, England are having a pace-bowling camp in UAE due to freezing conditions back home in the United Kingdom. The pace-bowling camp includes Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, and Mark Wood alongside fast-bowling mentor James Anderson.
Notably, Mahmood's teammates in the T20I squad - Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed - have already received their visas earlier despite having the same background as the fast-bowler.
This is not the first time Mahmood has encountered of visa issue while travelling to India. He was denied a visa in 2019 and had to be replaced in the England Lions squad. He couldn't travel to India in 2024 with the Lancashire side for a pre-season camp after being denied a visa.
In 2024, England Shoaib Bashir was forced to fly back from UAE to London due to a similar issue on the eve of England's five-match Test series against India. Although he obtained a visa a few days later, but had to miss the first Test in Hyderabad.
Saqib Mahmood stats for England
Having overcome consecutive lower-back stress fractures, Mahmood returned to the international fold last year, and was named player of the series during England's T20I assignment in the Caribbean in November, taking nine wickets at 10.55. He has played nine ODIs and 18 T20Is for England since his debut in 2020, and picked 38 wickets across formats.
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Business NewsSportsCricket NewsIND vs ENG: Relief for Saqib Mahmood, England as Pakistan-origin pacer granted India visa after initial delay
First Published:17 Jan 2025, 05:37 PM IST
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