England's Bashir gets India visa

HYDERABAD, Jan 24 (AFP): England spinner Shoaib Bashir has received his visa for India and will join the touring team this weekend, the country's cricket board said on Wednesday.
Britain-born Bashir, a 20-year-old Muslim of Pakistani heritage, was unable to join the rest of the squad flying to India from a training camp in Abu Dhabi and remained unvailable for the first of the five Tests starting Thursday.
The Somerset off-spinner had to fly back to London from Abu Dhabi to finish the required paperwork for his entry to India.
"Shoaib Bashir has now received his visa, and is due to travel to join up with the team in India this weekend," the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a statement. "We're glad the situation has now been resolved."
According to reports, the UK government intervened to fast-track the matter.