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Canada seeks ICC help to resolve visa problems

DUBAI — Canada remain positive a visa wrangle looming large over three of their players can be resolved in time for the forthcoming World Cup this month.

The Pakistan-born trio of vice-captain Rizwan Cheema, Khurram Chohan and Hamza Tariq are still awaiting international clearance to travel to India for the competition, despite filing the necessary documentation a fair few months in advance.

They now face an anxious wait for further news on their playing prospects, but coach Pubudu Dassanayake is optimistic of their participation after the president of Cricket Canada, Ranjit Saini, appealed to the ICC for urgent help.

“Three of our Pakistani players haven’t got their visas yet, but we’re hopeful of getting them before the World Cup,” he said.

“As they are Pakistan-born players, when you apply for Indian visas, there is a bigger process involved than for some of the other countries. It takes time and we applied about three months ago.

“There is no reason for the delay though as they’ve all been living in Canada for a long time now.

“I know that there is a process when you have to apply for a visa, but we’re confident that they’ll get through.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but – with any luck – we can get them before the World Cup.”

Saini’s plea in a letter to the ICC indicated that Cricket Canada hoped that ‘contingency plans’ were in place for their country’s cricketers to play in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka if the visa applications for India proved unsuccessful.

Dassanyake also hinted that alternative arrangements may have to be made were he not able to field his strongest XI in one of the three host nations.

“We want to go there with our best team and it’s about getting our best team to the World Cup,” the Sri Lankan said.

“Hopefully, we’ll get the visas. Otherwise, we’d like to see the venues being changed to places where we can go.”

Meanwhile, Cheema insists the hold-up hasn’t proven to be a distraction to him in the build-up, commenting: “People are trying their best and, hopefully, it will get through.

“It affected our preparations when the team went to India last time and we couldn’t get to go, but they’re really working on it now and hopefully it will be okay.”

He added: “Most of our team is from the Indian subcontinent, so hopefully we’ll get used to the conditions quickly. We’re working really hard, trying our best and hopefully we’re going to achieve something.”

alex@khaleejtimes.com