Usman Khawaja's India arrival delayed due to visa issues

Feb 02, 2023

Usman Khawaja's India arrival delayed due to visa issues Image

Usman Khawaja's visit to India for the Test series has been postponed because he is still awaiting a visa from the Indian government and has been stranded in Sydney.

The players and support staff arrived in India on two separate flights on Tuesday and Wednesday, ahead of the first Test, which is set to begin on February 9 in Nagpur.

Khawaja posted on Instagram on Wednesday that he was still waiting for his Indian visa: "Me waiting for my Indian Visa like... #stranded #dontleaveme #standard #anytimenow".

Players scheduled to tour India have had their visas in the works since early January, but Khawaja is the only member of the touring party who has yet to be approved.

According to ABC News, a Cricket Australia official said the governing body was aware of the situation and hoped Khawaja would be approved for entry into India soon.

Khawaja, who was born in Pakistan and has previously visited India, has previously struggled to obtain a visa.

The Australian team will have a four-day training camp in Bengaluru before departing for Nagpur for the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test on February 9.