Visa-related issues delay Dasun Shanaka’s departure for the Caribbean
Information
Sri Lanka’s new T20I captain may be pressured to overlook not less than part of the sequence towards West Indies
A delay in processing his transit visa to the USA of America has meant that Sri Lanka’s new T20I captain Dasun Shanaka was unable to go away for the Caribbean with the rest of the squad on Monday.
Shanaka did have a correct US transit visa – legitimate for 5 years – on a earlier passport. However as he had misplaced the passport containing that visa two years in the past, visa officers for the US have advised him they need to do extra checks, that means they weren’t in a position to greenlight the visa for this tour in time for him to make the flight.
“I’d lost that passport two years ago, so I think they need to check whether anyone has used that lost passport and visa to travel in the time since,” Shanaka advised ESPNcricinfo. “And there was also a delay in my submitting my visa application this time, because the team had to isolate after Thiri aiya (Lahiru Thirimanne) tested positive for Covid-19. I missed my initial appointment and had to take a later appointment.”
Though the wording of a Sri Lanka Cricket launch suggests Shanaka didn’t make the flight as a result of he had misplaced his passport lately, Shanaka himself urged the delay was largely unavoidable. In any case, it’s hoped that he receives his US visa over the following few days, and will doubtlessly fly out to the West Indies as early as Friday.
Nonetheless, even when he arrives in Antigua – the place Sri Lanka play their T20I sequence – forward of March 3, when the primary sport is scheduled, it isn’t clear if he can be accessible to play, as he might want to endure quarantine.
Shanaka was named Sri Lanka’s T20I captain on Monday, with a view to him main the aspect within the T20 World Cup later this 12 months. However it’s now attainable he’ll miss a part of his first project because the everlasting chief [he had been stand-in captain for one previous series].
Andrew Fidel Fernando is ESPNcricinfo’s Sri Lanka correspondent. @afidelf
