Virat Kohli, the leading run scorer in IPL 2024, will miss India’s T20 World Cup warm-up match due to a delayed visa appointment.
The first contingent of Indian cricketers departed for the United States on Saturday evening to begin preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which starts on June 2nd. Captain Rohit Sharma, head coach Rahul Dravid, batting coach Vikram Rathour, and several other players flew out of Mumbai.
While initial reports indicated all players from eliminated IPL teams would travel on May 25th, this was later expanded to include those whose teams exited the IPL playoffs. This meant Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj were expected to be part of the first group.
However, only Siraj joined the team alongside players like Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, and others. According to InsideSport, Kohli opted to extend his break after RCB’s IPL exit, and the BCCI scheduled his visa appointment for a later date.
This means Kohli is likely to miss India’s T20 World Cup warm-up match against Bangladesh on June 1st in New York. “Mr. Kohli informed us well in advance about his delayed arrival, and the BCCI has adjusted his visa appointment accordingly. He is expected to fly out to New York on the morning of May 30th,” a BCCI official told the media.
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The report further stated that Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson and Mumbai Indians counterpart Hardik Pandya will also depart later than initially planned. Samson cited “personal work in Dubai” as the reason for his delayed departure.
India will begin their campaign against Ireland on June 5th at the newly built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. They will then face Pakistan on June 9th at the same venue, followed by matches against co-hosts the USA (June 12th) and Canada (June 15th) in the Group A stage.
Last Updated on May 26, 2024