Last year, Shoaib Bashir was ruled out of England’s first Test in Hyderabad due to delay in getting a visa. Six years ago, Mahmood was included in the England Lions squad for the India tour after a hold-up in the visa process, and ultimately fearing a similar issue, he applied for it ahead of Lancashire’s pre-season tour last year. Had chosen not to.
The ECB declined to comment, but is understood to be optimistic that Mahmood will secure his visa in time to board the team flight. Two other players of Pakistani heritage in England’s T20I squad, Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, are understood to have already received their visas.
Mahmood was to join Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Mark Wood for a fast bowling camp in Abu Dhabi ahead of the India tour, which is being overseen by James Anderson as a fast bowling consultant. But as part of the visa process he had to surrender his passport, and hence was unable to travel.
Mahmood, 27, has played 29 matches across all formats for England, but his progress has been halted by persistent lower back stress fractures since his Test debut in 2022. He reminded the England selectors of his potential with a match-winning spell in the 2024 Hundred final, before being named player of the series during England’s T20Is in the Caribbean in November.
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