Bangladesh Resists ICC Pressure, Pushes Sri Lanka Venues for T20 WC
Bangladesh Resists ICC Pressure, Pushes Sri Lanka Venues for T20 WC
Bangladesh vows not to travel to India for the T20 World Cup, seeking to host all group games in Sri Lanka amid ICC pressure and security concerns.
Bangladesh's sports adviser Asif Nazrul said there is no scenario in which the national team would travel to India for the T20 World Cup, despite an ICC ultimatum to decide participation by January 21. If the ICC bows to pressure from the Indian Cricket Board and imposes conditions that Bangladesh views as unreasonable, the country will not accept them. The position keeps alive the possibility that Scotland could be considered as a replacement based on current rankings, though no formal pledge has been made.
Bangladesh has proposed playing all four group-stage matches in Sri Lanka, where the marquee India-Pakistan clash would also be held under the mutually agreed ICC event plan through 2027. This arrangement aims to balance security concerns with the tournament's logistics while preserving the spirit of the schedule.
Bangladesh is currently in Group C alongside West Indies, Italy, England, and Nepal. In talks in Dhaka with ICC officials, the BCB floated a swap of positions with Ireland in Group B to keep Bangladesh in Sri Lanka, a move they say would ease travel and security considerations while maintaining the competition's integrity.
Security concerns and national pride drive the stance, with the BCB arguing that the decision to keep the team away from India is grounded in safety and the country's sporting interests. The tension intensified after Mustafizur Rahman's removal from the Kolkata Knight Riders roster for IPL-related developments, a decision linked to BCCI instructions.
With the ICC insisting on the original schedule, Bangladesh's participation remains uncertain, and the fate of the group-stage venues will hinge on ICC's response in the coming days.
