Shoaib Akhtar denied entry into England

Surrey invited Shoaib Akhtar, the Pakistan pace bowler to play for it in the county matches for the rest of the season. He was scheduled to play his first match for Surrey against Kent in Canterbury on Thursday.

However, when he reached London, Shoaib was sent back to Pakistan by British immigration chiefs at Heathrow airport for not having a working visa.

According to immigration officials, Shoaib’s visa was not valid. Though he is having a work permit, he did not possess the proper documents to play professional cricket in England.

Shoaib, who has played 46 Tests and 138 One-Day Internationals for Pakistan, has earlier represented three counties, Somerset, Worcestershire and Durham in the county cricket circuit in England.