Pakistan has refused to admit former Australian batsman Dean Jones after he arrived without a valid visa to take over as coach of a team in the new Twenty20 league, officials said Sunday. The 54-year-old was last week appointed head coach of Islamabad United in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
Jones arrived from Dubai Saturday night but was refused entry because he had no valid visa for Pakistan and returned to the emirate, a Federal Investigation Agency official said. "He will now apply for a valid visa and can come again anytime after obtaining Pakistan visa," the official said.
The first edition of the PSL Twenty20 league will be held in Dubai and Sharjah from February 4. Five teams from Karachi, Islamabad, Quetta, Lahore and Peshawar will compete in the league, designed on the lines of the Indian Premier League and Australia's Big Bash.
Ok cricket fans.. My paperwork for Pakistan Visa wasn't complete due to recent change in VIsa policy. I have Visa.. NOT DEPORTED as reported
— Dean Jones (@ProfDeano)
>December 20, 2015PSL organisers confirmed Jones's situation but said they hoped he would be able to return later Sunday so he could attend the players' draft in Lahore on Monday and Tuesday. Jones played 52 Tests and 164 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for Australia between 1984 to 1994 and is currently a widely travelled cricket commentator.
Jones also landed in trouble in 2006 during a series in Sri Lanka when he described South African batsman Hashim Amla, a Muslim, as looking "like a terrorist" due to his long beard. Jones was sacked by Ten Sports as a commentator for the remark, for which he apologised.
Jones has tweeted that the paperwork for his Pakistan visa had been incomplete due to a recent change in visa policy. He said he would be arriving in Lahore Sunday night.
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