![Sikandar Raza for Zimbabwe [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1768371172142_SikandarRazaforZimbabwe.jpg?type=hq)
Sikandar Raza for Zimbabwe [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X]
Recent reports and rumours have suggested that, ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka, Sikandar Raza, the Zimbabwe skipper, alongside several Pakistan-born players from associate nations, mainly from the USA team, have been denied visas to enter India for the tournament.
According to the reports that circulated, at least four players from the United States squad were allegedly barred from receiving Indian visas. The players are Ali Khan, Shayan Jahangir, Ehsan Adil, and Mohammad Mohsin. In addition, rumours also emerged claiming that Sikandar Raza had been denied an Indian visa because he was born in Pakistan.
Zimbabwe boycotting T20 World Cup 2026 for Sikandar Raza is fake
Adding further fuel to the speculation, reports claimed that Zimbabwe Cricket would not take the refusal of Sikandar Raza’s visa lightly and could boycott the T20 World Cup 2026 if he was not allowed to enter India.
Most of these claims originated from Pakistani media outlets and were widely shared on social media platforms.
However, dismissing these reports as false, Vikrant Gupta, journalist and senior managing editor at Aaj Tak, recently clarified that players with Pakistan origins who had visa appointments were simply undergoing due process and that their visas would take a few days to be cleared.
Similarly, addressing the rumours surrounding Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe cricket journalist Adam Theo rejected the claims outright, calling the reports ‘fake’.
Sikandar Raza’s origin in Pakistan
For those unaware, Sikandar Raza was born on April 24, 1986, in Sialkot, Pakistan. He spent his early childhood there and was largely brought up in Pakistan before immigrating with his family to Zimbabwe in 2002.
It is also known that Raza initially aspired to become a fighter pilot in the Pakistan Air Force and attended an Air Force public school in the country.
However, after failing a mandatory vision test, he moved to Scotland to pursue software engineering at Glasgow Caledonian University, where he also began playing semi-professional cricket.
After completing his education, Raza returned to Zimbabwe, pursued a full-time cricket career, and made his international debut in May 2013. Given his Pakistan origin, questions have been raised over his visa status.
Why are Pakistan-born cricketers facing Indian visa issue?
According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs regulations, individuals born in Pakistan are required to apply for an Indian visa using a Pakistani passport, irrespective of their current nationality or place of residence.
As a result, Sikandar Raza would have had to apply under this category, which reportedly led to complications.
Nevertheless, the cricket boards of the affected nations have reportedly approached the ICC for assistance. The ICC has assured them that the visas will be cleared once proper verification of documents is completed.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan national cricket team remains unaffected by the issue, as it is scheduled to play all its matches of the T20 World Cup 2026 in Sri Lanka.
