A number of associate teams in the tournament – Oman, UAE and Italy – will be looking on with interest, given their squads are likely to include a number of players of Pakistan origin, or with Pakistani nationality.

ESPNcricinfo understands that England’s two squad members of Pakistan heritage, Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed, are both still awaiting their visas. While the matter is expected to be resolved in time for the tournament, their situation is complicated by the need to apply in-person. Rehan is currently in Australia at the BBL, while Rashid is in Dubai.

Last September, the ICC had informed all participating teams that securing visas to India and Sri Lanka, the co-hosts of the T20 World Cup, would be the responsibility of the respective boards but it would facilitate paperwork if needed. In the case of USA, with the suspension of USAC, that responsibility would lie with the ICC.

Worsening diplomatic and political ties between India and Pakistan have made visas an complicated issue in recent years, even for players who are nationals of other countries. England’s Shoaib Bashir and Saqib Mahmood had faced delays in obtaining visas but were granted them eventually, as was the case with Australia’s Usman Khawaja. The visas for the Pakistan team were also delayed ahead of their travel to India for the 2023 ODI World Cup.

USA, who got a direct entry for the 2026 T20 World Cup after making the Super Eights stage in the 2024 tournament, are scheduled to play three of their four group A matches in India. Their first match is against defending champions India on the opening day (February 7) of the T20 World Cup in Mumbai, followed by Pakistan in Colombo (February 10) and then two matches in Chennai – against Netherlands (February 13) and Namibia (February 15).

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With Anushka Sharma sidelined through injury, Kanika Ahuja was promoted to No. 3. She ensured the momentum did not dip, getting off the mark with a powerful drive through the covers, and combining with Mooney to inflict damage. After Mooney’s departure, she continued the same alongside Ash Gardner. The pair carried Giants to 99 for 3 at the end of 10th over. Gardner fell in the 10th over and Ahuja followed in the 11th, but Giants had laid a solid platform by then.

MI clawed their way back into the contest after Ahuja’s dismissal. Ayushi Soni, brought in for Anushka, struggled to find fluency, while her partner Georgia Wareham continued to find the gaps regularly. Soni was on 7 off 10 balls at the end of the 16th over when she retired out, becoming the first player in WOL to do so. The move paved the way for Bharti Fulmali, who ensured it paid dividends.

Fulmali survived two lbw appeals in the 17th over from Amanjot, both overturned in her favour. She then launched a late onslaught, taking on Carey with two fours and a six in the 19th, before going even harder in the final over. Fulmali smashed two fours and two sixes off Amanjot as Giants plundered 39 runs across the last two overs, finishing on 192.

Hayley Matthews returned to the top of the order after missing the first two matches with injury. Despite losing her opening partner Kamalini in the third over, she ensured MI made a positive start. However, her stay was short-lived, ending on 22 off 12 balls. That dismissal brought Harmanpreet and Amanjot together, and the pair began to rebuild.

Amanjot soon found her rhythm, unfurling a flurry of boundaries against Wareham and Tanuja Kanwar, while Harmanpreet ticked along at better than run-a-ball through the first 10 overs.

Once set, Amanjot shifted gears, taking on Renuka Singh and Gardner with a series of cleanly struck sixes. The breakthrough for Giants came through Devine, whose slower ball accounted for Amanjot and ended a 72-run partnership.

Harmanpreet, though, remained unfazed and continued to dictate terms, with Carey joining her at a stage when MI required 84 off 48 balls.

Carey swung the momentum decisively in the 16th over, hammering five boundaries off Renuka, who continued to struggle for accuracy. The over slashed the equation to 39 needed off 24 balls.

Harmanpreet soon brought up her half-century off 33 deliveries, and Giants compounded their woes with a series of fielding lapses, putting down three chances of her.

Harmanpreet made them pay, pouncing on the width offered by wayward bowling to keep the chase firmly on track. With four needed off five balls, she sealed the contest by hitting a boundary, through the gap between deep square leg and deep midwicket.

Brief scores:
Mumbai Indians Women  193 for 3 in 19.2 overs  (Gunalan Kamalini 13, Hayley Maththews 22, Amanjot Kaur 40, Harmanpreet Kaur 71*, Nicola Carey 38*; Renuka Singh 1-39,  Kashvee Gautam 1-33, Sophie Devine 1-29) beat Gujarat Giants Women 192 for 5 in 20 overs (Beth Mooney 33, Kanika Ahuja 35, Ashleigh Gardner 20, Georgia Wareham 43*, Ayushi Sani 11, Bharti Fulmali 36*; Shabnim Ismail 1-25, Hayley Maththews 1-34, Nicola Carey 1-36, Amelia Kerr 1-40 ) by seven wickets

[Cricinfo]