Shoaib Bashir: The England cricket team is currently on a tour of India, where it is scheduled to play a five-match Test series against Team India. The announcement of English team for this series was made well in advance, and all the players of the team have already arrived in India and started playing their first match.
However, on the other hand, the young spin bowler of the England cricket team, Shoaib Bashir, has not yet arrived in India due to the reason of not obtaining a visa. Although he has now received the visa, and this information has also been confirmed by the England Cricket Board. So, let’s find out what the whole matter is and why there is so much controversy regarding Shoaib Bashir’s visa.
Shoaib Bashir gets Indian Visa
The name of the young spinner Shoaib Bashir is also included in the England Test team, which is currently on a tour of India. However, due to being of Pakistani origin, Shoaib’s visa took quite some time, leading to tension between the boards of both countries. The delay in Bashir obtaining the visa has visibly upset the England Cricket Board and captain Ben Stokes. Stokes described it as “devastating” during a press conference. Meanwhile, the UK government has stated that it is committed to treating all British citizens fairly in its visa processes with India.
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However, the matter has been resolved to a great extent, and Shoaib Bashir has also obtained the Indian visa. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) posted on social media on Wednesday evening, writing, “Shoaib Bashir has now received his visa and is due to travel to join up with the team in India this weekend. We’re glad the situation has now been resolved.”
Seeing the delay in Shoaib Bashir’s visa approval, former England cricketer David Lloyd had advised the English team to consider postponing the series. He suggested that England should not tour India until Shoaib receives his visa.
Not only in the mind of former English players but also in the mind of Captain Ben Stokes, the same thought had arisen, and he acknowledged this in a press conference.
Ben Stokes on Shoaib Bashir’s visa issue
Ben Stokes, in a pre-match press conference a day before the match, said, “When I first heard this news in Abu Dhabi, I said that until Bash gets his visa, we shouldn’t fly.” After this he added, “But that was a little bit tongue in cheek. I know it’s a way bigger thing than doing that. That was probably just emotions around the whole thing. I’m pretty devastated that Bash has had to go through this.”
In this whole matter An unnamed British government spokesperson told that it was not the first time that citizens of Pakistani origin faced delays in obtaining visas for India. He said, “The specifics of this case are a matter for Shoaib Bashir and the Indian Government. But we absolutely expect India to treat British citizens fairly at all times in its visa process.” He added, “We have previously raised the issues with the Indian High Commission in London about experiences of British nationals of Pakistani heritage applying for visas.”
In the pre-match press conference, Rohit Sharma also commented on the entire issue, in which he expressed the desire for Shoaib Bashir to receive his visa promptly.
Shoaib Bashir’s Cricket Career
The 20-year-old spin bowler, Shoaib Bashir, has not made his debut in international cricket so far. Additionally, he has not played many matches in domestic cricket. Shoaib has played a total of 6 matches in first-class cricket, taking 10 wickets in 10 innings. His best bowling figures in first-class cricket are 3/67 (Innings) and 6/155 (Match). Furthermore, in 7 List A matches, he has taken 3 wickets, and in 5 T20 matches, he has taken 4 wickets. His best bowling figures in List A cricket is 1/46, and in T20 cricket, it is 3/26.
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India vs England First Test Match Update
In the first Test match being played between India and England, the England team won the toss and decided to bat first. Despite losing all their wickets, their team could only manage to score 246 runs. From the England side, captain Ben Stokes scored the highest with 70 runs. On the other hand, for Team India, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took the most wickets, each claiming 3 wickets. Additionally, Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel took 2 wickets each.
Who is Shoaib Bashir?
Shoaib Bashir is a young spin bowler from England who has been selected for the Test series of 5 matches on the India tour. However, due to a delay in the visa process, he has not been able to reach India yet. But now, he has obtained the visa.
What is Shoaib Bashir’s Age?
20 years
Has Shoaib Bashir obtained the visa?
Yes, Shoaib Bashir has now obtained the visa, and he will soon be departing from England for India.
What is Shoaib Bashir’s visa issue?
Actually, Shoaib Bashir has connections to Pakistan by origin, and due to his association with Pakistan, there was a delay in his visa. This caused quite a commotion. However, now the matter is settling down, and he has obtained the visa for India. It’s worth mentioning that anyone with current or past connections to Pakistan often faces difficulties.
Why is Bashir visa delayed?
Shoaib Bashir’s parents are residents of Pakistan, which is why, due to his Pakistani origin, he faced delays in obtaining a visa. However, he has now received the visa and will be coming to India soon.
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