Australia batter Khawaja stranded amid visa delay ahead of India Test tour

By Sports Desk February 01, 2023

Australia batter Usman Khawaja is stranded in Sydney awaiting visa approval to join his team-mates for their Test tour in India this month.

The top-order batter was due to fly out with the rest of the squad across Tuesday and Wednesday amid a series of staggered flights.

But Khawaja remains in New South Wales amid issues with his visa in relation to his roots in Pakistan, the country of his birth.

The 36-year-old was born in Islamabad, and has had prior issues in attempting to enter India to play cricket.

In 2011, he was blocked from securing a visa for the T20 Champions League for New South Wales before the Indian high commission intervened.

Khawaja took to social media to poke fun at his situation shortly after his team-mates departed for India, where Australia are due to contest the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

He has played multiple times in the country in the past, including with IPL outfit Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016, and scored two centuries during an ODI tour in 2019.

Khawaja enjoyed a remarkable 2022, earning a recall to the red-ball squad where he top-scored with 496 runs during their first tour of Pakistan since 1998.

He was named in the ICC Test Team of the Year alongside team-mates Pat Cummins, Marnus Labuschagne and Nathan Lyon, as part of a leading four selections.

Australia begin their four-match Test series on February 9 at Nagpur's Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, with games in Delhi, Dharamshala and Ahmedabad to follow.

Related items

  • Holder's five-wicket haul wreaks havoc on T&T Red Force as Barbados Pride take command at Queens Park Oval Holder's five-wicket haul wreaks havoc on T&T Red Force as Barbados Pride take command at Queens Park Oval

    Chaim Holder’s five-wicket haul has put Barbados Pride in control at stumps on day one of their fourth-round West Indies Championship match at Queens Park Oval on Wednesday.

    Holder was the spearhead of the Barbados attack taking 5-71 as the Red Force were bundled out for 203 in 75-3 overs. At the close, Barbados were 40-0.

    Jason Mohammed spared the Red Force blushes with his score of 55 but other than Tion Webster, who contributed 46 and Joshua Da Silva 32, the other batters failed to show. Darren Bravo who has two hundreds and a 95 in the competition so far managed only seven as Trinidad crawled to 76-3 from the first 33 overs.

    Jair McAllister also got in on the wickets taking 3-31 as the hosts struggled to find runs.

    At the close, Barbados trail by 163 runs with all wickets intact.

    Zachary McCaskie is at the crease on 21 while Sheyne Moseley is unbeaten on 19 at the other end.

     

  • Half-centuries from Powell, Gore and James guide Leewards to 271-6 against Windwards at Toruba Half-centuries from Powell, Gore and James guide Leewards to 271-6 against Windwards at Toruba

    Half-centuries from Kieran Powell, Karima Gore and Kofi James steered Leeward Islands Hurricanes to 271-6 at stumps in their fourth-round West Indies Championship match against Windward Islands Volcanoes at Toruba on Wednesday.

    Powell scored 75 and shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 42 with Jahmar Hamilton that helped rescue Hurricanes from 51-3 after Monctin Hodge (6), Akeem Saunders (0) and Devon Thomas were all back in the hutch within 17 overs.

    The Leewards slipped again from 93-3 to 121 -6 as Hamilton (12), Powell and Rahkeem Cornwall 14 fell in relatively quick succession before Gore and James came together mounting an unbroken stand of 150 that took the Hurricanes to close of play.

    Gore, an American, will resume on Thursday on 87 while James will pick up from 61.

    Preston McSween 2-42 and Kenneth Dember 2-66 were the primary wicket takers for the Windwards.

  • Johnson's masterful unbeaten 142 keeps Scorpion bowlers at bay as Harpy Eagles reach 268-9 at Providence Johnson's masterful unbeaten 142 keeps Scorpion bowlers at bay as Harpy Eagles reach 268-9 at Providence
© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.