Scotland confident visa for Pakistan-heritage batter Safyaan will be issued before the World Cup

Scotland are hopeful their players, including Pakistan-heritage opening batter Safyaan Sharif, will be issued visas in time for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Scotland received a last-minute call-up to join the 2026 T20 World Cup after Bangladesh pulled out of the tournament, citing security concerns.

The ICC announced their inclusion less than two weeks out from the opening World Cup game, which means they have to scramble to ensure the team is ready to fly to India before the tournament begins on February 7.

ICC working hard to resolve visa issues

On the matter, Cricket Scotland’s chief executive Trudy Lindblade said the ICC is aiding them, which is why they are confident the team will not face any visa delays.

"We are all committed to working with the ICC to make that happen," Lindblade said on Monday. "The visa piece is always slightly unknown, and it doesn't matter whether you've got three days or whether you've got 45 days.

"Certainly that's been our focus in the last 48 hours: just getting those visas done so our players are all ready to go. They're all in the middle of submitting their visas, and we will be there on the ground in India as quickly as we can, so it's just a matter of time now."

Pakistani background players in other teams

With tense political relations between Pakistan and India, many players of Pakistani background have faced Indian visa delays on several occasions. Earlier, a handful of such players, including the USA’s Ali Khan and England’s Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, faced hindrance in securing their visas. 

In addition, several Pakistani background players from associate nation teams are also understood to have faced the same issue.

However, the ICC is reportedly working with the BCCI and Indian High Commissions across several cities to expedite the process.

"[The ICC] can only give us assurances for the parts they can control. Of the areas within their control, we are working closely with them, and they are working with the BCCI and local authorities on the ground to make sure we receive the support we need.

"So yes, they have given us the assurances they can provide. There is a team working very hard not just to help us, but to help 19 other teams heading to the World Cup as well. Right now, we are their intense focus."

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