Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: The Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) desperate last-minute attempt to avoid ejection from next month’s T20 World Cup fell flat on Friday when the International Cricket Council (ICC) struck down their appeal to the their Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) challenging the global body’s decision to reject their demand of not playing in India.BCB, directed by govt adviser to sports ministry Asif Nazrul, emailed ICC’s DRC alleging injustice done by the ICC board with regards to their ask of moving all their matches to Sri Lanka from India. TOI understands that BCB has failed to formally write to ICC about their final decision of not playing in India despite the ICC board giving them a 24-hour window on Wednesday. It is understood that the ICC has initiated its process of replacing the Bangladesh team with Scotland while an official confirmation is expected over the weekend.
Nazrul and BCB president Aminul Islam on Thursday announced in a media briefing that they won’t allow their team to travel to India citing security concerns to their players and fans after the Indian board’s (BCCI) move to oust seamer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL. Both claimed they will keep fighting to have Bangladesh play their T20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.BCB’s appeal cited the ICC agreeing to an arrangement between BCCI and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) where the teams don’t travel to each other’s country. TOI has learnt that the appeal with the DRC didn’t stand legally. The DRC is not set up to entertain appeals against its own board. Its function is to resolve disputes at a lower operational level or between member boards.As per the clause in the terms of reference for the DRC, “It shall not operate as an appeal body against decisions of the ICC or any decision making body established under the ICC’s Memorandum and Articles of Association or under any rules or regulations of the ICC…”ICC chairman Jay Shah was in Dubai headquarters on Saturday. It is also learnt that the BCB’s demeanour in the entire saga has not gone down well with the members. BCB chose to announce their decision via media briefings while not writing to the ICC. The world body maintained that ceding to BCB’s request here will set a precedent of undermining the sanctity of future ICC tournaments and its neutrality.
