ISLAMABAD: Fast bowler Mohammad Amir’s departure for the Pakistan cricket team’s tour of Ireland and Britain has been delayed due to a problem in obtaining his visa.

“Amir could not travel with the team,” Pakistan Cricket Board spokesman Amjad Bhatti confirmed to The Associated Press. “There’s some procedural issue which I hope will be resolved by Wednesday.”

Amjad could not elaborate what exactly the issue was, but he was optimistic that Amir will get his visa within two days. Local media reported Amir had already applied for a longer term spouse visa because his wife is a British national and that could lead to him getting a British passport.

This is not the first time that Amir has had a delay in obtaining a visa. During Pakistan team’s last tour of England two years ago he faced a similar problem before the PCP sought help from the England and Wales Cricket Board. Amir was banned for five years in 2010 for his involvement in spot-fixing and also served a brief stint in jail in England for the same offence.

Pakistan will play one Test match against Ireland in Dublin before travelling to England for a two-Test series. The tour will end in June with two Twenty20s against Scotland.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2018