Cricketers of Pakistani origin or holding Pakistani passports could face difficulties obtaining Indian visas for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Sources told Geo Super that the cricket boards of five participating teams have already approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) to raise concerns over visa facilitation for the 2026 tournament. However, neither the ICC nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has so far provided any assurances.
The uncertainty centres on players with Pakistani backgrounds or those travelling on Pakistani passports, with several associate nations affected. Teams such as the UAE, Oman, Italy, Canada and the United States all include players of Pakistani descent or green passport holders in their squads.
Officials from these boards have reportedly begun internal consultations and raised the issue collectively, citing past instances in which players of Pakistani origin encountered difficulties securing Indian visas. Those precedents have heightened anxiety ahead of the World Cup, particularly for players travelling on Pakistani passports, who are believed to face even greater hurdles.
Sources further claimed that India has yet to give the ICC a clear response on whether visa facilitation will be guaranteed for such players.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from 7 February to 8 March. The 20-team tournament will be divided into five groups of four, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the Super Eight stage.
Defending champions India have been drawn alongside Pakistan, the Netherlands, Namibia and the United States in one group. Sri Lanka, the other co-host, are grouped with Australia, Zimbabwe, Ireland and Oman.
Another group features England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy and Nepal, while South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, the UAE and Canada make up the remaining pool.
The Super Eight stage will begin on 21 February in Colombo and conclude on 1 March in Kolkata. The semi-finals are scheduled for 3 and 5 March, with the final to be played on 8 March in either Ahmedabad or Colombo.
