SAFYAAN Sharif has been cleared to take part in the T20 World Cup after finally being granted a visa by the Indian government.
The Falkland all-rounder was left at home while his Scotland team-mates headed to the sub-continent to prepare for the tournament ten days ago.
Sharif, who has more T20 wickets than any other squad member, was denied vital acclimatisation time as fears grew that his World Cup dream may be shattered by red tape while his application went through a different process than his team-mates.
However, clearance arrived earlier this week and last night the player arrived in Mohali where he will take part in today’s first official warm-up match against Oman.
Cricket Scotland’s operations manager Ross Brooks declared: “The process for obtaining the relevant visa to India for individuals who have Pakistani heritage or origins is different in that they are not handled by local Indian Consulates and need to be referred to the Indian Government for separate approval.
“The matter has been closely managed by Cricket Scotland and by the tournament hosts, the BCCI and ICC. Until approval came through Safyaan was unable to travel but we’re pleased that his visa was issued and he was able to travel.”
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