Visa delays hit Bangladesh U-19 plans

Bangladesh's Under-19 team have suffered another disruption to their preparations after visa delays forced a second change to their Youth One-Day International series against Afghanistan in Oman, reducing the original five-match programme to four games.

The revised series is now scheduled to begin on October 17, with further matches on October 19, 21 and 23 at the Oman Cricket Academy Ground. 

The opening match was initially planned for October 13, but the schedule had to be adjusted after the Bangladesh contingent could not travel as originally arranged.

The visa complications also split the team's journey. Ten members of the Bangladesh contingent travelled to Oman on Tuesday, while the remaining 15 arrived on Thursday, leaving the squad to assemble in stages shortly before the opening fixture. 

Head coach Hannan Sarkar confirmed that the entire 25-member contingent had reached Oman. He said the players would need to adjust quickly to the local conditions, describing the weather as hot but noting that a breeze was helping them acclimatise.

The series had initially been scheduled for October 13, 15, 18, 20 and 23. With the opening dates lost to the travel problem, one match was removed from the programme. The changes have reduced the number of opportunities available to the young players to gain match experience ahead of a major regional assignment.

The Afghanistan series is particularly important because it forms part of the Bangladesh team's preparation for the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup, which begins in Oman on November 5. Bangladesh, champions in the 2023 and 2024 editions, have been drawn in Group B alongside Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Malaysia.