England’s captain Ben Stokes addresses the media forward of their first cricket take a look at match in opposition to India in Hyderabad, India, Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024.
AP Picture/Mahesh Kumar A.
An England cricketer’s issues acquiring a visa for the staff’s take a look at sequence in India have prompted the British authorities to name for honest remedy for any of its residents searching for to enter the Asian nation.
Shoaib Bashir, a 20-year-old British Muslim of Pakistani heritage, was the one member of England’s touring get together to expertise a major delay over his visa software.
As a substitute of flying to India with the remainder of his teammates from Abu Dhabi, the place England held a pre-series coaching camp, Bashir needed to fly again to London and current his passport in individual in an effort to get the proper approval on the Indian embassy.
Bashir lastly obtained his visa on Wednesday and is because of be part of up with the staff in India this weekend, the England and Wales Cricket Board mentioned.
“We’re glad the scenario has been resolved,” the ECB mentioned.
England captain Ben Stokes mentioned his preliminary response was to refuse to journey to India till Bashir’s case was sorted, earlier than shortly backing down due to the ramifications such a call would have.
The British authorities additionally reacted, saying “we completely count on India to deal with British residents pretty always in its visa course of.”
With out eager to touch upon the specifics of Bashir’s case, a authorities assertion mentioned: “We’ve got beforehand raised the problems British residents with Pakistani heritage expertise making use of for visas with the Indian Excessive Fee in London.”
Political tensions between India and Pakistan have typically spilled over into cricket, the place the 2 neighboring international locations have a longstanding rivalry.
The visa points meant that Bashir, who’s on his first worldwide tour with England, was dominated out of competition for the primary take a look at beginning in Hyderabad on Thursday.
“Once I first discovered the information out in Abu Dhabi, I did say we shouldn’t fly till Bash will get his visa however that was somewhat bit tongue in cheek,” Stokes mentioned Wednesday, earlier than Bashir obtained his visa.
“I do know it’s a method larger factor, doing that. That was in all probability simply feelings round the entire thing. There was by no means an opportunity that we weren’t going to journey round this however Bash is aware of he’s had our full help.”
Stokes mentioned he was “fairly devastated” that Bashir has skilled these problems.
“As a pacesetter, as a captain, when one among your teammates is affected by one thing like that you simply do get a bit emotional,” he mentioned.
India captain Rohit Sharma expressed sympathy for Bashir.
“I really feel for him truthfully,” mentioned Sharma. “Sadly, I don’t sit within the visa workplace to offer you extra particulars on that however hopefully he could make it shortly, get pleasure from our nation and play some cricket as properly.”
English participant Saqib Mahmood, whose dad and mom are from Pakistan, needed to be withdrawn from England Lions’ tour of India in 2019 after related delays.
___
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
