Bangladesh to skip T20 WC
Bangladesh on Thursday said it will not send its national cricket team to India for the T20 World Cup, a decision that could see Scotland replace them in the tournament after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected Dhaka’s request for a change of venue.
The decision came a day after the ICC issued an ultimatum, asking Bangladesh to either confirm travel plans to India or risk losing their World Cup slot, saying there was no credible threat to the safety of Bangladeshi players, officials or fans. The ICC had set Thursday as the deadline for a final response.
Taking a firm stand, Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul announced after a meeting with national team players that the governing body’s position was unacceptable.
“While our cricketers have worked hard to qualify for the World Cup, the security risk regarding playing in India remains unchanged. This concern is not based on abstract analysis,” Nazrul said.
He added that Bangladesh had not abandoned hope of participating in the tournament. “We are not giving up hope yet; our team is ready. We expect the ICC to provide justice by considering our genuine security risks and allowing us to play in Sri Lanka,” Nazrul said.
Bangladesh are scheduled to play four matches in India — three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. The Bangladesh Cricket Board had raised security concerns after fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), citing unspecified “developments all around.”
The ICC is now expected to take a final call on Bangladesh’s participation, with Scotland next in line to enter the tournament if the stalemate continues
