Two West Indies players, Akeal Hosein and Jyd Goolie, have been unable to join the side's T20I squad in England due to updated visa requirements for Trinidad and Tobago citizens to enter the UK.
Hosein was named in the squad for West Indies T20I series against England which was announced earlier this week, with him and Goolie both included for the T20I series against Ireland which will follow. Goolie was named in the squad for the Ireland series to accommodate newly appointed Test captain Roston Chase leaving the squad after the England series for a red-ball camp in Barbados.
However, neither player has yet been able to enter the UK, with the first match of the series against England set to begin later today (June 6). Both have been unable to secure visas under updated rules from the UK government which apply to citizens of Trinidad and Tobago, where Goolie and Hosein are both from.
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What are the updated UK visa rules for Trinidad and Tobago citizens?
On March 12, the UK government announced that all residents from Trinidad and Tobago would need to apply for a visit visa before traveling to the UK. Previously, citizens from the islands had been able to apply for Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to stay in the UK for up to six months.
A transition period of six months was granted by the UK government, allowing travellers who already had an ETA before March 12 to enter the UK without a visa until April 23, beyond which obtaining a standard visa would be mandatory, meaning both Hosein and Goolie required visas to enter the UK.
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West Indies director of cricket, Miles Bascombe, said: "As soon as the updated visa requirements were announced, CWI began the necessary application processes. This was only possible after Akeal returned to Trinidad, and following the confirmation of Jyd’s selection to the Ireland squad
"Akeal, who was selected for both the England and Ireland legs of the tour, was granted permission to fulfill his commitments with the extended Pakistan Super League until mid-May. Jyd was called up for the Ireland series after Roston Chase was named Test captain on May 16. Chase was set to leave the UK to join the Test camp in Barbados, creating an opening in the squad. However, Jyd was unable to secure the required visa waiver, as the transition period for Trinidad and Tobago residents had already expired."
Will Hosein and Goolie be able to play any part in the series' in England and Ireland?
While the series against England begins today (June 6), with further matches on June 8 and 10, the series against Ireland won't begin until June 12.
A statement from Cricket West Indies read: "CWI made formal efforts to expedite the visa process for Akeal and applied for a visa waiver for Jyd. However, these processes are ultimately governed by UK immigration authorities and remain outside of CWI’s control. CWI remains optimistic that the matter will be resolved in the coming days, allowing Hosein to join the squad for the remaining matches."
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