England hit by more visa issues as Saqib Mahmood is yet to be granted entry to India for white-ball tour… as ECB forced to cancel his flight just days before first match.

England face further visa issues as Saqib Mahmood is yet to receive his visa for his tour to India which starts next week.

Mahmood was due to leave for the United Arab Emirates last Thursday for a bowling camp alongside Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Mark Wood, but the ECB was forced to cancel his flight with his passport still in the hands of the Embassy of India.

Freezing conditions in the UK have left the 27-year-old unable to bowl outdoors while his England teammates train in Abu Dhabi alongside his fast bowling mentor Jimmy Anderson.

Mahmood has spent the last few days in limbo, waiting for a resolution, but is still unsure if he will be able to join the rest of the group touring England when they leave this Friday.

England's first T20 against India will take place in Kolkata next Wednesday.

Mahmood was named Player of the Series in England's final white-ball tour to the West Indies in November, where he took nine wickets in three matches and broke the record for most powerplay wickets claimed by an England bowler in a male series.

Saqib Mahmood is yet to be granted a visa for England's upcoming tour of India

The fast bowler starred in England's last white-ball tour to the West Indies in November.

Spinner Shoaib Bashir experienced similar problems before England's trip to India last year.

The trip to the UAE was planned to help England's seamers acclimatise to the conditions ahead of the white-ball tour to India, which includes three ODIs and five T20Is and the subsequent Champions Trophy taking place in Pakistan. and the United Arab Emirates next month.

Last year, Lancashire traveled to India without Mahmood after failing to apply for a visa and, in 2019, the ECB failed to obtain a visa for Mahmood to travel to India as part of an England Lions team despite applying for one. well in advance, due to his Pakistani nationality. inheritance.

This is the latest episode of visa problems for English players of Pakistani descent after Shoaib Bashir was forced to fly back to London on the eve of England's Test series against India last year to obtain his visa and Rehan Ahmed was detained in Rajkot because he only had a single entry visa.

Mail Sport understands that this time Adil Rashid and Ahmed, also in the team and of Pakistani descent, have been granted their visas.

The ECB declined to comment but is optimistic that they will obtain Mahmood's visa in time to leave with the group for India on Friday.