Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja, a top opener known for his impressive performance, was unexpectedly separated from his team as they took off for India on Wednesday. The Pakistan-born player was unable to join the rest of the squad on their flight from Sydney due to a visa issue.
Determined to catch up with his teammates, he quickly made his way to Melbourne to retrieve his passport and secure the necessary visa documentation. It is hoped that he will be able to fly out on Thursday and join the rest of the team for the highly anticipated cricket series in India.
Usman Khawaja shares Instagram post
The Australian star posted on social media to express his dismay at being left behind. He took to Instagram to share a meme from Escobar series where a dismayed man (Escobar) just sits on bench with the captain, “Me waiting for my Indian Visa like … #stranded #dontleaveme #standard #anytimenow.”
According to reports, only one player in the 17-member cricket team, Usman Khawaja, was unable to secure a visa despite filing the necessary paperwork early last month. The delay in the visa approval was attributed to the Indian government. Cricket Australia is hopeful of resolving the matter soon. Meanwhile, other team members, including David Warner and Steve Smith, have shared photos and videos from their comfortable flight to India, leaving Khawaja behind in Australia.
Australian team leaves for India
On Tuesday, a group of Australian cricket staff and players embarked on their journey to India after the Border Gavaskar trophy. Unfortunately, this is not the first time Usman Khawaja, who was honored as the Shane Warne Test Player of the Year at the Australian Cricket Awards, has faced travel complications for cricket.
In the past, he has had his passport held back before the Australia ODI tour of India in 2022 and experienced a visa delay for the 2011 Champions League Twenty 20 while playing for New South Wales. The team is scheduled to play four Tests against India starting on February 9th in Nagpur.
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