IND vs ENG 2025: Pakistan-origin England cricketer Saqib Mahmood granted visa ahead of India tour

Pakistan-origin England fast bowler Saqib Mahmood has finally been granted his visa for the upcoming limited-overs series against India. Mahmood, who faced delayed travel document issues earlier, will join the England squad in Kolkata ahead of the first T20I on January 22.

Mahmood’s passport was held up at the Indian Embassy, which had prevented him from attending a crucial pace-bowling camp in Abu Dhabi. The camp, led by England’s fast-bowling consultant James Anderson, featured prominent names like Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.

Visa delays have troubled Mahmood in the past. In 2019, he was replaced in the England Lions squad for a tour of India due to similar issues. More recently, in 2024, Mahmood had to drop Lancashire’s pre-season tour, due to the same issue. He is not alone in facing such setbacks, other England players of Pakistani origin, including Adil Rashid, Rehan Ahmed, and Shoaib Bashir, have encountered visa-related hurdles during Indian tours.

Despite initiating Mahmood’s visa application well in advance, the delay disrupted his preparation for the series. Similar difficulties previously impacted England spinner Bashir, who missed the opening Test against India last year, and Rehan Ahmed, who faced restrictions with a single-entry visa during the Rajkot game.

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Mahmood had impressive run in Caribbean before injury plagued him

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old pacer has come back from consecutive lower-back stress fractures and is part of the England setup. Mahmood was the Player of the Series during England’s T20I tour of the Caribbean in November, where he picked nine wickets in three matches, breaking the record for the most Powerplay wickets by an England bowler in a men’s series. With 29 international appearances across formats, including two Test caps against the West Indies in 2022, Mahmood is all set to make an impact under head coach Brendon McCullum.