The Sports Ministry has given the approval for the Sri Lanka Under-19 team selected to tour Bangladesh in April. But the tour is on hold pending a security guarantee from the Bangladesh government which has cancelled all foreign sports teams’ tours to the country following a border guard mutiny recently.

"We have informed Bangladesh about security concerns. The tour will get underway only after Bangladesh Government provides a security guarantee," a senior official of the SLC told ‘The Island’ yesterday.

"We too will be sending our security experts and will act only after assessing the security situation there," he said.

Meanwhile some school officials of players who are eligible to play in the Under-19 world Cup next year, but overlooked for selections, are disappointed that the team picked up for the World Cup preparation tour is heavily laden with players who will not be eligible to play next year.

Although many players selected for the tour have performed well during the season most of them will not be eligible to play the Under-19 World Cup next year.

"They have overlooked players who are eligible to play in the World Cup. Had they selected players eligible for the World Cup, it would have been a valuable opportunity for them. Most of the players selected for the tour will be over aged next year. What is the purpose of taking them if they are not eligible to play the World Cup next year,’ an official close to a prospective player overlooked for selections told ‘The Island’.

However a senior official of SLC backed the selectors saying that they had intended to give the youngsters a chance to learn from the senior players. "If only players eligible for the Under-19 World Cup were included in the team and they lose to Bangladesh, they would lose confidence. The selected team would give the young players a chance to learn from their senior players,’ he said.

He also said that it was too early to select a team eligible for the Under-19 World Cup.

Dinesh Chandimal (Captain), Angelo Perera, Udara Jayasundara, Buwaneka Ekanayake, Kusal Janith Perera, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Imesh Udayanga, Chathuranga de Silva, Sameera Weerasinghe, Matheesha Perera, Rushan Jaleel, Chathura Peiris, Vimanga Perera, Lahiru Jayaratne, Madushan Ekanayake

Stand-bys: Gayan Maneeshan, Dilan Chandima, Dilan Gangoda, Dinuk Jayasinghe, Malith Cooray.