DA COSTA: Will India let top Canadian cricketers into country in 2026?

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Cricket is nothing short of a religion in India. Millions of fans around the world set their eyes on the lucrative Indian Premier League every year as it draws the best cricketers from around the globe. The 10-team IPL churns out millionaires every year in a country where the population of a billion live and breathe two things — cricket and Bollywood, the country’s answer to Hollywood.

Next year, though, IPL has to take a back seat to the World Twenty20 Cup that will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February and March. After the thrills and spills of this 20-team tournament that will also include Canada, the passionate fans will turn their attention from rooting for their country to cheering their provincial or city clubs.

With its growing power on the international sporting scene, especially cricket, it appears India calls all the shots.

One country that has felt the full brunt of India’s clout has been Pakistan. Pakistani players featured in the IPL’s inaugural season in 2008 and then later that year 10 insurgents from Pakistan stormed Mumbai and some 166 people lost their lives. Since then, Pakistanis have been blackballed by the IPL and the two national teams have not played a bilateral Test series. The only time they face each other is in International Cricket Council-organized tournaments such as the World Cups.

Unfortunately, some of the countries competing in next year’s World T20 Cup will find themselves targeted if they have any ties with Pakistan. Two of Canada’s star players — all-rounder Saad Bin Zafar and fast bowler Kaleem Sana, both born in Pakistan — are expected to make their mark in the tournament in 2026 — that’s if the Indian authorities allow them into the country.

Making life difficult for Pakistani-born players isn’t something new.

In 2010, I brought it to the attention of then Canadian immigration minister Jason Kenney that one of our top all-rounders Rizwan Cheema had not been granted a visa to play in the World Cup (50 overs) hosted by India. Kenney used his influence to get India to reverse its stand on Cheema.

Others who have had to clear hurdles before being granted visas included England’s Saqib Mahmood, and in 2024 Test spinner Shoaib Bashir. The British government then intervened, but because of the red tape the spinner missed the first Test. “We absolutely expect India to treat British citizens fairly at all times in its visa process,” said a British government communique. The other top-rated player who had a similar experience was Australia opening batsman Usman Khawaja, also because of his Pakistani heritage.

Bin Zafar and Sana were in brilliant form with the ball in piloting Canada to the World Cup finals in the sub-continent after also impressing during Canada’s first appearance in this version of the competition in the U.S. and the Caribbean in 2024 where Zafar earned the honour of captaining Canada. Sana is an experienced player, having played top-notch club cricket for Pakistan Customs and also representing Pakistan in the Under-19 World Cup.

“It will be a dream come true to play the World Cup in India,” said Bin Zafar, “since it is by far the biggest cricketing nation in the world. It will be an incredible feeling playing there.”

But Bin Zafar is also aware his plans could be sidelined if the Indian authorities do not play ball. “We have already instructed Cricket Canada to apply early for our visas so there aren’t any hitches later,” he added.

India also made headlines last week when it denied visas to the Pakistani field hockey team, who qualified to play in the 2025 Asia Cup in Rajgir, India, in August. India has heightened its cross-border relationship with its neighbour following a terrorist attack in April. India claims that 26 tourists were killed by Pakistani gunmen in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam town.

UMPIRES STUN WINDIES

Take your hat off to the West Indies for not walking off the field in the first Test against visiting Australia at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

West Indies’s skipper Roston Chase and coach Daren Sammy doubled down on their attack on third umpire Adrian Holdstock of South Africa after his decisions stunned the home team. Chase minced no words in a scathing attack that he and all those who watched the decisions on television were highly questionable. Australia won the Test by 159 runs thanks to a first-class spell by fast bowler Josh Hazlewood who took five wickets in the second innings. The decisions that left the home team fuming were the dismissals of Chase and Shai Hope.

While Chase escaped punishment, coach Sammy was fined 15 per cent of his match fee for publicly criticizing Holdstock.

“It’s frustrating because as players, when we mess up, when we get out of line, we’re penalized harshly,” Chase said.

“But the officials, nothing ever happens to them. They just have a wrong decision or questionable decision, and life just goes on. You’re talking about guys’ careers. One bad decision could make or break a guy’s career.”

Despite the controversy, Holdstock will be umpiring the remaining two Tests. By right, he should have been back home on the next flight.

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