Akeal Hosein, West Indies’ left-arm spinner, will miss the opening match of the T20 International series against England, which starts in Chester-le-Street on Friday evening, and possibly the entire series. This follows Hosein and fellow Trinidadian, Jyd Goolie, being unable to obtain the necessary visas to enter the UK.
This situation arose due to recent changes in UK visa entry requirements for Trinidad and Tobago citizens. These changes, effective from 23 April and 12 May 2025, require travellers to submit visa applications and attend in-person appointments.
Hosein’s unavailability stems from his recent participation in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), which prevented him from attending the required appointment. His participation in the PSL was sanctioned by Cricket West Indies (CWI), allowing him to stay with Quetta Gladiators until late last month.
Goolie, meanwhile, had been a late inclusion for West Indies’ tour of Ireland, stepping in after Roston Chase was named Test captain. However, he couldn’t secure a visa waiver due to the short notice.
The West Indies’ Director of Cricket, Miles Bascombe, provided insight into the issue. “As soon as the updated visa requirements were announced, CWI began the necessary application processes,” Bascombe stated. “This was only possible after Akeal returned to Trinidad, and following the confirmation of Jyd’s selection to the Ireland squad.”
Bascombe elaborated on the timeline, saying, “Akeal was selected for both the England and Ireland legs of the tour and was granted permission to fulfil his commitments with the extended Pakistan Super League until mid-May. Jyd was called up for the Ireland series but was unable to secure the required visa waiver, as the transition period for Trinidad and Tobago residents had already expired.”
CWI is working diligently to expedite the process, although the final decision lies with UK immigration authorities. “CWI remains optimistic that the matter will be resolved in the coming days, allowing Hosein to join the squad for the remaining matches,” the cricket board expressed.
This visa issue follows other recent global cricket travel disruptions, such as concerns from Major League Cricket regarding the potential exclusion of Afghanistan players due to a new travel ban from the US government.
