Sports Desk:

Soumya Sarkar has been forced to miss Bangladesh’s upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan in Sharjah due to visa complications. Instead of travelling to the UAE, the experienced top-order batter is now featuring for Khulna Division in the ongoing NCL T20 in Sylhet.

Left-handed opener Mohammad Naim Sheikh is facing a similar situation. While the rest of Bangladesh’s ODI squad has already arrived in the UAE, Naim remains in Mirpur, awaiting his travel clearance.

Amid the BCB election bustle in Mirpur, Naim was seen practising indoors at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium as he continues to wait for his visa. Neither Naim nor the board officials are certain when it will be issued.

BCB’s chairman of cricket operations, Nazmul Abedin Fahim, confirmed the issue to reporters on Sunday.

“We sent all the necessary papers on time. Not just Soumya, Naim Sheikh’s visa hasn’t arrived either. Once it does, he’ll leave immediately,” he said.

The three-match ODI series against Afghanistan is scheduled to begin on Wednesday at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. If the visa delay continues, Bangladesh might have to start the series without the 26-year-old opener.

Soumya, meanwhile, had to stay back after his visa was not approved in time. Fahim said they waited until the last moment.

“We kept waiting till on Saturday. Even if he had got the visa at night, he was ready to fly. But since today’s the last T20, there’s no point in going now. It’s unfortunate — getting UAE visas has become quite complicated recently, so nothing can be confirmed in advance,” he added.