Bangladesh Cricket Team Seeks T20 World Cup Matches in Sri Lanka Over Security Concerns
Bangladesh's Stance on T20 World Cup Matches
Dhaka [Bangladesh], January 7: Asif Nazrul, the sports adviser for Bangladesh, expressed that the national men's cricket team is eager to participate in the T20 World Cup. However, they prefer to have their matches held in Sri Lanka instead of India, emphasizing that the "national honour and the safety of our cricketers" must not be compromised, as reported by a local media outlet.
Earlier today, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) announced that they had received feedback from the ICC regarding their worries about player safety in India during the T20 World Cup, which included a request to move matches to a different location.
The BCB stated that the ICC reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the Bangladesh team's full and uninterrupted participation in the tournament. Additionally, the BCB addressed media claims suggesting that they had been given an ultimatum to play in India or face point deductions.
According to the BCB, these claims are entirely false and do not accurately represent the communication received from the ICC.
A request to relocate Bangladesh's matches from India was made following the release of pacer Mustafizur Rahman by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), as directed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The inclusion of the Bangladeshi pace veteran in KKR's squad for Rs 9.20 crores faced significant backlash in India due to concerns over the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh.
After a meeting with BCB directors, Nazrul stated that while Bangladesh is keen to participate in the tournament after qualifying, it will not do so at the expense of the country's honour or the safety of the team, players, and journalists.
"We have discussed the situation. The Bangladesh team fought hard to qualify for the T20 World Cup, and as a cricket-loving nation, we certainly want to play in the World Cup," he remarked.
He reiterated, "We do not want to participate in the World Cup at the cost of our national honour or the safety of our team, players, and journalists."
Nazrul also mentioned that while the BCB had received communication from the ICC, they felt that the ICC did not fully grasp the security issues present in India.
"We received a letter from the ICC, and I believe they did not fully understand the security concerns in India. This is not just a security issue; it also pertains to national honour," he added.
Nazrul emphasized that the country will not compromise on national honour or the safety of its cricketers. "There is a broader context regarding communal issues that I prefer not to discuss here. We will not compromise on our national honour or the safety of our cricketers. We want to play in the World Cup, but only in Sri Lanka. We are firmly standing by this position," he concluded.
Previously, the BCB stated its intention to engage constructively with the ICC and relevant authorities to find a practical solution that ensures the team's smooth participation in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Reports from ESPNCricinfo indicated that the ICC had declined the BCB's request to move their matches from India to Sri Lanka.
During a virtual meeting on Tuesday, the ICC informed the BCB that their request to shift matches outside India due to security concerns was rejected.
The ICC also conveyed that the Bangladesh senior men's cricket team must travel to India for their T20 World Cup matches or risk forfeiting points.
Bangladesh is set to kick off their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 against two-time champions West Indies at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Following this, they will face Italy on February 9 at the same venue, and then the 2022 T20 World Cup champions, England, before heading to Mumbai to play Nepal at Wankhede Stadium.
On Monday, the Bangladesh government decided to halt the broadcast of IPL 2026 matches in the country following Mustafizur's release from KKR. The IPL is scheduled to commence on March 26.