Indian Fans Expect Fast Track Visa For T20 World Cup 2026
The fast-tracked visa awaits Indian fans for the T20 World Cup 2026, US matches. The trips include road trips to explore the city on Route 66, a highway that connects California and Chicago. Fred Dixon, president and CEO of Brand USA, spoke to TOI on the sidelines of the Brand USA Travel Week India event. He said the authorities are working on steps to simplify the US visa process for spectators. Dixon stated, “If you decide to buy tickets to the World Cup and you don’t have your visa yet, there actually is a way to facilitate that process to identify yourself as a ticket holder, and then the State Department will work to facilitate the visa processing faster.” The authorities were especially excited to welcome the Indian fans for the tournament. “In places like New Jersey and New York, places like Atlanta and Dallas, Texas, those are obviously big communities. The communities will come to life through the fan fests in every host city. With more than 5 million Indians living in the US, travelling with or spending time with family will be a big component of that,” Dixon said. While speaking to TOI, he also talked about the use of artificial intelligence to help with the itineraries. “At americathebeautiful.com, we actually have AI integration to help with trip inspiration, particularly when you are dealing with an event that is multi-city, multi-date,” said Dixon.
IPL Governing Committee To Decide on RCB’s Home Games
The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council is likely to meet next week to resolve the complication regarding Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) home ground. The committee will decide if the team can play its home matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium this season. The Karnataka State government has cleared the venue to host IPL and international games. However, some ‘grey areas’ remain. The franchise must meet certain conditions before matches can be staged at the stadium. With time running out, the franchise has already started working on contingency plans. Raipur and Navi Mumbai have emerged as possible alternative venues. Meanwhile, the Board has requested the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to address the matter with the State government. Devajit Saikia, the BCCI secretary, while talking to Sportstar, stated, “We had a recent meeting in which we could not finalise whether RCB will be playing in Bengaluru or not.” He further stated, “During the meeting, we were informed that the association has produced one document, which says that the government has set some conditions that should be fulfilled. There will be an inspection after that, and once it is given the green signal, then only the crowd manifest can be made.” “There are certain gray areas. We have therefore requested that they come up with a comprehensive proposal. Maybe in the next three to four days, we will have another meeting to decide whether the Chinnaswamy Stadium will be ready for hosting the IPL or not…” The guideline released by the government notified the team to take ‘responsibility not only for stadium-related arrangements but also for the road outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium, along with additional compliance measures.’ The notice includes restrictions on DJ usage along with safety protocols like setting up a fire brigade unit. Earlier this week, KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad said the government’s approval reflected confidence in the association’s roadmap and execution plan. Speaking to the media in Bengaluru, he added that the KSCA is now working to secure unconditional clearance by the end of February. The association is aiming to complete all remaining works mandated by the authorities within the stipulated timeline. Last year, a stampede during celebrations of RCB’s IPL title left 11 people dead and 56 injured. Since then, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has not hosted any international matches. Fixtures from the Women’s ODI World Cup were also moved out of the venue.
Manoj Tiwari Criticises BCB For Halting the Players’ ‘Dream’
Manoj Tiwary, former Indian cricketer, smashed Bangladesh’s decision on the stance of the T20 World Cup. He alleged political interference in cricket while mocking security concerns while pointing out that Bangladesh’s former PM Sheikh Hasina is safely residing in India. While talking about the objection to ANI, he stated, “It wasn’t from the board’s side. Today, if you watched the press conference, the Sports Minister gave a statement to the media, saying there is a security risk, but the board president was standing right next to him. Generally, in other countries, the cricket board is an autonomous body, and political and ministerial involvement is limited only to organising the events.” He further expressed, “But in their country, politics has entered the picture, and political figures have become heavily involved in the board, and these kinds of decisions are emerging. Regarding the safety, if that’s the question, then Sheikh Hasina also came to our country after the protests there, and she is safe here, isn’t she? The central government of our country has provided her with good security and given her refuge here. So, if a country’s Prime Minister can come and live safely here, then the players will definitely get safety,” he added. The veteran further smashed the cricket board for crushing their player’s dream. He alleged that BCB’s decision to not play in the T20 World Cup is a loss to their cricketers who dream to play in a bigger platform like the world cup. He further expressed his opinion about direct political influence on the matter. Tiwary condemned the thinktank of the cricket board for their stance in such a decision. Tiwari stated, “This is a loss for the players. All the Bangladeshi players always want to play for their country, and it’s their dream to participate in the World Cup and perform well there, which further brightens their individual careers. But what can the players do now? It wasn’t in the players’ hands, and the ICC’s instruction was simply, “Either you play, or you leave.” “Why did the Bangladesh Cricket Board take such a decision, given that the ICC chairman and the ICC itself are so powerful? We know the board didn’t take the decision. The Sports Ministry there took it, and I’ve always said that if politics enters sports, you see these kinds of things happening, and this time it’s been proven again that politics has entered sports. Because of this, such a major decision was taken that they are not coming to play in the World Cup,” he added. The apex cricket board rejected BCB’s plea for changing match venues from India following various meetings. Bangladesh are set to start their campaign on 7th February against the two-time champions, the West Indies, at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
