The International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly rejected Bangladesh’s request to shift its upcoming T20 World Cup matches out of India, finding no merit in the concerns raised over player safety and security.
The request followed Kolkata Knight Riders’ decision to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from its IPL squad after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) advised franchises to do so. The move sparked widespread debate, coming amid reports of violence against members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh in December, which had drawn criticism from various quarters.
Rahman had made headlines after being bought by KKR for a record Rs 9.20 crore at the December mini-auction, becoming the highest-paid Bangladeshi cricketer in IPL history. He was snapped up after an intense bidding war involving Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals, starting from a base price of Rs 2 crore.
Following his exit from the IPL, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) reportedly approached the ICC seeking a change in venue for Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup fixtures, citing security concerns. A limited number of incidents involving violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh were flagged, an issue the Indian government has also raised. Observers, however, noted that Bangladesh has largely refrained from commenting on incidents of lynching and violence against Muslim minorities in India over the past decade.
Media reports said the ICC discussed the matter in a virtual meeting and decided against altering the schedule. According to an India Today report, the ICC informed Bangladesh that it would have to tour India as planned or risk forfeiting points.
The T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7, exactly a month away. Bangladesh are scheduled to play West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9 and England on February 14 in Kolkata, before their final league match against Nepal on February 17 in Mumbai.
A BCCI source said a venue shift was virtually impossible with the tournament just weeks away. The T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
