West Indies cricketer Shimron Hetmyer is scheduled to reunite with his national squad in India on Thursday, February 5th, following the resolution of significant visa complications that threatened his participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The 29-year-old Guyanese batsman’s arrival comes just two days before the team’s opening match against Scotland.
The travel disruption originated from Hetmyer’s use of a newly issued Guyanese passport during the recent South African T20I series. According to renowned international commentator Dr. Joseph Reds Perreira, who spoke exclusively with St. Lucia Times, the batsman traveled to South Africa without carrying his previous passport containing the essential Indian visa. Since Guyanese citizens enjoy visa-free entry to South Africa, the omission went unnoticed until his scheduled departure to India.
Perreira revealed that high-ranking West Indies Cricket Board officials expected the matter to be resolved imminently, with Hetmyer projected to depart South Africa within hours and reach India by Thursday afternoon Eastern Caribbean time.
This incident echoes previous travel challenges for the talented left-hander, who ranks fourth in run accumulation (1,345 runs) among current squad members. In 2022, Hetmyer faced exclusion from the T20 World Cup squad after missing two rescheduled flights to Australia due to personal reasons.
His potential absence would have represented a substantial setback for the Men in Maroon, given his impressive recent form. Hetmyer has compiled 233 runs this year at an average of 46.60, including a remarkable 171 runs across just three innings against South Africa.
While acknowledging Hetmyer’s personal responsibility, Perreira suggested broader accountability within team management. He questioned whether team manager Rawl Lewis had adequately communicated the specific documentation requirements before players departed their Caribbean homes.
The visa issue caused Hetmyer to miss Wednesday’s warmup encounter against Afghanistan as well as the official ICC tournament photoshoot, though his anticipated timely arrival preserves West Indies’ batting strength for their crucial opening fixture.