Pietersen faces difficulties in visa procurement

March 10, 2014 05:29 pm | Updated May 19, 2016 07:39 am IST - New Delhi

Bangalore: Royal Challenger Bangalore's Kevin Pieterson during a practice session for IPL 3 match at Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on Wednesday. PTI Photo by Shailendra Bhojak(PTI4_7_2010_000244B)

Bangalore: Royal Challenger Bangalore's Kevin Pieterson during a practice session for IPL 3 match at Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on Wednesday. PTI Photo by Shailendra Bhojak(PTI4_7_2010_000244B)

Star batsman Kevin Pietersen on Monday took to micro-blogging site twitter to seek help from Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in order to solve problems related to procurement of his visa for a visit to India.

Pietersen wrote on his twitter page to reveal that his passport is lying with the Indian Embassy in the U.K. for the past 10 days for a job that he claimed requires barely 24 hours, and subsequently requested the MEA to help him in this regard.

“Trying to travel to India urgently & the Indian Embassy has had my passport for 10days for a 24hr service. Help @MEAIndia, @IndianDiplomacy?,” Pietersen tweeted.

In reply, MEA’s official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin replied to the England batsman’s query explaining him about the requirement of necessary approval from the Union Sports Ministry.

“Event requires approval of Sports Ministry. Mission will give Visa promptly once organisers of event obtain necessary approval,” Akbaruddin replied to Pietersen via twitter.

Pietersen, who has been retained by Delhi Daredevils, will be available for the entire season of the sixth edition of the cash-rich Indian Premier League. This was made possible after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had formally announced that Pietersen will no longer be selected to play for England.

The 33-year-old has scored 8181 runs in 104 Tests with 23 hundreds and 4440 runs in 136 ODIs with nine tons to his credit.

Kevin Pietersen is likely to come to India by the end of this month as the Daredevils will be officially unveiling their new jersey for the 2014 season. Coach Gary Kirsten is also expected to attend the promotional event.

Daredevils had a horrible last season and KP was unavailable due to a knee surgery.

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