Saqib Mahmood Awaits Visa Clearance for India Tour

England pacer Saqib Mahmood is facing visa delays, preventing him from joining the team's training camp in Abu Dhabi ahead of their white-ball tour in India. This issue has caused Mahmood to miss crucial preparation time with his teammates, including Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, as he awaits clearance from Indian authorities. Mahmood's visa woes are not new; he faced similar challenges in 2019 and 2024 due to his Pakistani heritage, a situation also experienced by other players like Shoaib Bashir. The England Cricket Board (ECB) remains hopeful that Mahmood's visa issue will be resolved before the team departs for Kolkata on January 17. If resolved timely, Mahmood will join the squad for the T20I series starting January 22, followed by ODIs and the Champions Trophy. Despite these setbacks, Mahmood has shown resilience with impressive performances in past series, underscoring his importance to the England team.