The International Cricket Council (ICC), under the leadership of Jay Shah, has intervened to ensure players and officials of Pakistani origin receive Indian visas in time for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to be hosted across India and Sri Lanka from February to March. Several full-member and associate nations feature players of Pakistani origin. Visas for England and Netherlands players, as well as some officials, have already been cleared. Officials stressed that the aim is to ensure all applications, including remaining players and support personnel, are processed efficiently without unnecessary delays. Indian authorities generally scrutinize visa applications from Pakistani nationals or origin due to security considerations, especially given historical incidents such as the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 18, 2026 14:12 UTC