USA Cricketer Ali Khan Denied Indian Visa Ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

Pakistan-born American fast bowler Ali Khan has revealed that his Indian visa application was denied, sparking attention ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.

The 35-year-old cricketer, who represents the United States national team, shared the news through his Instagram story on Tuesday, January 13. Posting a picture of himself, he captioned it, "India visa denied but KFC for the win."

Ali Khan was born in Attock City, located in Pakistan's Punjab province, before moving to the USA and establishing himself as a leading fast bowler in their international squad. The denial of his visa comes as a setback, given that the USA is scheduled to play multiple matches in India during the upcoming World Cup.

Ali Khan's Journey and Career Highlights

Ali Khan has become one of the key faces of USA cricket in recent years. He has represented the country in 15 ODIs and 18 T20 Internationals, earning recognition for his pace and control.

He was also part of the USA squad in the 2024 T20 World Cup, where he performed impressively, taking crucial wickets against top-tier teams. Notably, during the Group A matches, he dismissed Rishabh Pant from India and Fakhar Zaman from Pakistan-two high-profile players from the subcontinent.

Ali is expected to be named again in the USA's 2026 T20 World Cup squad, making the visa denial an issue of concern for the team's preparations.

USA's T20 World Cup Fixtures in India and Sri Lanka

The T20 World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, running from February 7 to May 8. Matches in India will be played across five major venues - Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai - while Sri Lanka will host games at Colombo's RPS and SSC Stadiums and the Pallekele International Stadium.

The USA team has been placed in Group A alongside India, Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Namibia.

According to the current schedule:

The USA will play their opening match against India at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on February 7.

Their second game against Pakistan will take place on February 10 in Colombo.

They will then face the Netherlands and Namibia on February 13 and 15, both in Chennai.

With three of their four matches set to be held in India, the visa issue could pose a logistical challenge for both Ali Khan and the USA Cricket Board. Officials are expected to seek a resolution before the tournament begins.