Karachi-born USA batter Shayan Jahangir has reportedly been denied an Indian visa for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled from February 7 to March 8.
Alongside him, pacer Ali Khan has also been denied a visa.
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He highlighted the situation on social media, sharing a picture of himself and Shayan enjoying a meal with the caption: “Indian visa denied but KFC for the win.”
The post quickly drew attention from cricket fans worldwide, highlighting the visa challenges faced by players of Pakistani descent.
Reports indicate that several associate nation teams, including Italy, Oman, UAE, Canada, and the USA, have players of Pakistani origin or dual nationality who are encountering difficulties obtaining Indian visas.
The cricket boards of these countries have formally approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) for guidance but are yet to receive any assurance or response from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
For context, the USA’s probable squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup includes four players of Pakistani origin who are ready to make an impact.
READ: All squads announced for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 so far
The 35-year-old Punjab-born pacer Ali Khan has represented the USA in 15 ODIs and 18 T20Is, taking 49 wickets across both formats.
Karachi-born Shayan Jahangir, 31, has played 32 ODIs, scoring 795 runs, including two centuries and three fifties.
In T20Is, he has scored 371 runs in 19 matches at a strike rate of 134.42, including two fifties.
Shayan Jahangir also represented Pakistan at the Under-19 level in 2013.
Ehsan Adil, who previously played for Pakistan in three Tests and six ODIs, including the ICC World Cup 2015, is also set to make his USA debut in the tournament.
Peshawar-born Mohammad Mohsin, with limited PSL experience featuring in two matches for Peshawar Zalmi, will also represent the USA.
The USA team is competing in its second ICC T20 World Cup, following a historic appearance in 2024 when they defeated the 2009 champions Pakistan in a Super Over to advance to the Super Eight stage.
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The team has been drawn in Group A alongside hosts India, Pakistan, Namibia, and the Netherlands.
The USA will begin its campaign against India on February 7, followed by matches against Pakistan on February 10, the Netherlands on February 13, and Namibia on February 15.
