The 2026 t20 World Cup is all set to start on February 7, while England will play their first match on February 8, in Mumbai, against Nepal. However, there has been the visa issue that has popped up for the England team. Before the World Cup, the team, however, will be in Sri lanka for an ODI series starting in late January. Well, they might face some disruptions due to the team having spinners Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, who have Pakistani lineage. This, however, is not an uncommon scenario, as players with any Pakistani lineage face this kind of visa chaos before coming to India. Notably, there has always been some additional administrative security with teams having Pakistani-born players, no matter which team they represent. In that case, the English players Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed will suffer the same from the Indian government. This means the team will be touring Sri Lanka for the ODI series without Rashid and rehan. The three-match ODI series will be starting on January 22, with Harry Brook leading the side. Rehand and Rashid's delay will not only furrow Brook's spin options but will also delay the grouping before the T20 World Cup. Currently Rashid is in South Africa participating in the SA20 T20 league. Meanwhile, Rehan Ahmed is playing in the Big Bash League and is in Australia. Read also: T20 World Cup 2026 in Doubt as Washington Sundar Is Ruled Out of IND vs NZ T20I Series Government looking after the visa issue The England and Wales Cricket Board has been informed that the Indian authorities have no issues with granting visas to the two players. However, with no clear indication on when the approvals will be processed, the ECB has also approached the UK government to help speed up the procedure. Even with the delay, England’s board remains optimistic that Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed will receive their visas in time to participate in the World Cup. England opens their campaign against Nepal in Mumbai on February 8 and heads into the tournament under pressure after suffering a 4–1 Ashes series loss. Away from visa matters, England are also facing uncertainty over their group-stage fixture against Bangladesh. The Bangladesh board has requested the ICC to shift their matches to a neutral venue due to security concerns stemming from strained relations with India. Earlier, Pakistan’s games were moved to Sri Lanka, but the BCCI is reportedly opposed to making any additional alterations to the existing tournament schedule.