Bangladesh decide not to travel to India for T20 World Cup matches
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has requested the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches outside India, citing “concerns regarding the safety and security” of players after “taking into account developments over the last 24 hours”. India are already co-hosting the T20 World Cup with Sri Lanka due to Pakistan’s refusal to play in the country.
The BCB said in a statement that its board of directors has resolved that Bangladesh won’t travel to India for the tournament. “Following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and the growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India and considering the advice from the Bangladesh Government, the Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions,” said the BCB.
“In light of this decision, the BCB has formally requested the International Cricket Council (ICC), as the event authority, to consider relocating all of Bangladesh’s matches to a venue outside India.”
Placed in Group C along with England, Italy, Nepal and the West Indies, Bangladesh were scheduled to play all their group stage matches in India. Their first three matches are scheduled to be played in Kolkata while the last is slated to be hosted by Mumbai.
It is the latest in a series of events that have unfolded after fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was released by his Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). India shortly thereafter put a scheduled tour of Bangladesh later this year on hold.
Asif Nazrul, the advisor for Youth and Sports in the Mohammad Yunus-led interim government of Bangladesh, had said earlier on Sunday that he had instructed the BCB to raise the matter with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and make it clear the team “won’t feel safe” playing their games in India.
“As the advisor in charge of the Sports Ministry, I have asked the Board of Control for Cricket in Bangladesh to explain the entire matter to the ICC and write to it,” said Nazrul on his Facebook page.
