T20 World Cup: Pakistan-born USA cricketer Ali Khan’s visa denied

Dubai: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, set to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8, has already a few controversies in the last couple of weeks.

While the Bangladesh cricket team’s refusal to travel to India remains unresolved, another issue has now surfaced. USA fast bowler Ali Khan has claimed that he was denied an Indian visa for the marquee tournament.

Ali, who represents the United States but was born in Pakistan, suggested that his place of birth may be the reason behind the visa hurdle.

He is one of four players of Pakistani origin in the USA squad, with the visa status of Shayan Jahangir, Ehsan Adil, and Mohammad Mohsin still unclear.

On Monday, Ali Khan took to Instagram, posting a story that read: “Indian visa denied but KFC for the win.”

Visa delays are not unprecedented. Ahead of England’s tour of India in 2024, Shoaib Bashir’s visa was delayed, forcing him to miss the first Test. Similarly, the Pakistan team received their visas late before the 2023 World Cup.

The USA are placed in Group A alongside India and Pakistan. They will begin their campaign on February 7 against India at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, before flying to Sri Lanka to face Pakistan on February 10 at the SSC Stadium in Colombo. The team will then return to India to play their final two group matches against the Netherlands and Namibia in Chennai.

Ali Khan was instrumental in the USA’s remarkable run at the 2024 T20 World Cup, where they reached the Super Eight. Their campaign included one of the biggest upsets in cricket history, defeating Pakistan in the group stage.

Ali has featured in 18 T20 Internationals for the USA, claiming 16 wickets.

He also holds the distinction of being the first USA player to earn an IPL contract, having signed with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2020 as an injury replacement, though he did not feature in a match. Additionally, Ali has played for the Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL, the Los Angeles Knight Riders in Major League Cricket, and the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20.