Bangladesh Cricket Team Withdraws from T20 World Cup in India Amid Security Concerns

Bangladesh's Decision on T20 World Cup

Dhaka, Jan 4: The Bangladesh national cricket team has opted out of traveling to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup set for next month. This decision comes after government adviser Asif Nazrul urged the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to halt the broadcast of the Indian Premier League (IPL) within the country.

In a Facebook update on Sunday, Nazrul announced that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) had resolved not to send the team to India. He stated, “Bangladesh will not participate in the World Cup in India. The BCB has made this decision today, which we support in light of what we perceive as the violent communal policies of the Cricket Board of India.”

Nazrul also mentioned that he had instructed the BCB to formally request that Bangladesh's World Cup matches be relocated to Sri Lanka instead of India.

The BCB confirmed this decision, explaining that it was made after evaluating the current situation and the safety concerns regarding the Bangladesh team's presence in India.

The board expressed serious worries about the circumstances surrounding the Bangladesh National Team's participation in the matches scheduled in India, following an emergency meeting.

Nazrul indicated that the BCB would approach the International Cricket Council (ICC), led by Jay Shah, to request the relocation of Bangladesh's four league matches—three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai—to Sri Lanka.

The BCB's statement emphasized that they have formally asked the ICC to consider moving all of Bangladesh's matches to a venue outside India, with Sri Lanka proposed as a co-host.

Highlighting security issues and government recommendations, the BCB pointed to the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders' decision to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman following directives from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Nazrul remarked that if a Bangladeshi player could not compete in India despite being under contract, it would be unsafe for the national team to travel for the World Cup.

While the BCCI did not explicitly link its decision regarding Rahman's release to bilateral relations, it cited prevailing circumstances as the reason.

Previously, the Kolkata Knight Riders, co-owned by Shah Rukh Khan, released the left-arm pacer, who was acquired for Rs 9.20 crore at the IPL auction in Abu Dhabi last month.

Relations between India and Bangladesh have been tense since the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who sought refuge in India last August amid anti-government protests.