Overview:
In a groundbreaking moment, Ali made history by becoming the first player from the USA to secure an IPL contract, signing with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2020 season as an injury replacement.
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 script keeps adding twists. After the Bangladesh camp’s turbulence, USA fast bowler Ali Khan has alleged he couldn’t secure an Indian visa for the marquee event, set to run from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.
Despite being a USA regular, Ali’s Pakistan birth could be the sticking point behind the setback. He is one of four players in the American camp with Pakistani roots. The picture is still hazy for Shayan Jahangir, Ehsan Adil and Mohammad Mohsin.
There’s optimism that this gets resolved quickly and Ali can fly out to India as planned. Similar hiccups have cropped up before. Shoaib Bashir’s clearance arrived late ahead of England’s 2024 trip, ruling him out of the opening Test, while Pakistan’s visas were issued at the last moment ahead of the 2023 World Cup.
By way of background, the rules around visas for Pakistani citizens became more stringent after the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, which has typically stretched processing timelines.
What is USA’s schedule for the T20 World Cup?
The USA’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign begins on February 7 in Mumbai, where they will take on India at Wankhede Stadium. Following this, the team heads to Colombo to face Pakistan on February 10 at the SSC Ground. Their group stage journey wraps up in Chennai, where they will play their final two matches against the Netherlands and Namibia.
Who exactly is Ali Khan?
Ali, a right-arm pacer, played a pivotal role in the USA’s remarkable performance in the 2024 tournament, where they advanced to the Super Eight, having stunned Pakistan in the group stage. With 18 T20I appearances for the USA, he has taken 16 wickets.
In a groundbreaking moment, Ali made history by becoming the first player from the USA to secure an IPL contract, signing with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2020 season as an injury replacement. However, he did not feature in any matches that year. Ali has also represented the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), the Los Angeles Knight Riders in the Major League Cricket (MLC), and the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20.