Bangladesh U-19 team's Oman departure delayed over visa approval

The Bangladesh Under-19 team's scheduled departure for Oman has been postponed as the authorities there are yet to grant the necessary approval for the team's travel, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said on Saturday.

The junior side was due to travel to Oman for a five-match Youth One-Day International series against Afghanistan. The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), which is hosting the series, has informed the BCB that it is still awaiting the required approval from the Omani authorities.

According to the BCB, the visa process began in early September and has been coordinated through the ACB. The issuance of visas, however, remains beyond the Bangladesh board's control.

The BCB said it had kept the squad ready for departure and would make the necessary travel arrangements once the visas were issued.

The delay leaves the team's travel schedule uncertain, although the board's statement did not announce any cancellation of the series or provide a revised departure date.

The five-match assignment was intended to give Bangladesh's young cricketers valuable competitive preparation against Afghanistan. The team is also scheduled to take part in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup in Oman in November, making the travel arrangements an important part of its preparations.

The BCB has indicated that the squad remains ready to travel, with the next step dependent on the completion of the approval and visa procedures.

No revised travel date was announced in the board's statement on Saturday.