England’s Pakistan Heritage Pacer Saqib Mahmood Cleared Visa for India Series

Saqib Mahmood Secures Visa for India Series

Saqib Mahmood can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The England pacer has received his visa for the upcoming limited-overs series in India, allowing him to travel with the team to Kolkata on Friday. The first T20I is scheduled for Wednesday, and Mahmood’s inclusion comes just in time.

Delays Due to Visa Issues

Saqib Mahmood is of Pakistani heritage. Hence, faced a frustrating delay in obtaining his travel documents. This forced him to miss England’s training camp in the UAE. However, his teammates Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed received their visas earlier.

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This isn’t the first time Mahmood has encountered such issues. In 2019, he was replaced on an England Lions tour of India due to visa delays. More recently, in 2024, he missed Lancashire’s pre-season tour, anticipating similar problems.

The delay meant Mahmood couldn’t attend a pace-bowling camp in Abu Dhabi led by James Anderson. The camp included key names like Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, and Mark Wood. Mahmood’s passport was held at the Indian Embassy, preventing him from traveling with the group.

A Comeback Trail

The 27-year-old seamer has had a challenging few years, dealing with back-to-back lower-back stress fractures. However, he made an impressive return to international cricket last year. Mahmood was named Player of the Series in England’s T20I series against the West Indies, taking nine wickets at an average of 10.55.

Saqib Mahmood has played 18 T20Is for England so far. He has picked up 18 wickets at an economy rate of 9.33. Mahmood has also represented England in 9 ODIs and 2 Tests. England’s first T20I against India is set for January 22 in Kolkata.