Kamal Ghorui
The situation escalated after Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was excluded from the upcoming IPL season, a development that reportedly influenced the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s hardened stance against playing in India under the existing conditions.
Speaking at the Secretariat in Dhaka, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul made Bangladesh’s position clear, stating that the country would not accept conditions imposed under pressure from the Indian cricket board. He pointed to historical precedents, including instances where India declined to tour Pakistan, prompting the ICC to alter venues. Bangladesh, he said, has made a “reasonable” request for a venue change rather than withdrawing outright.
Although reports suggested the ICC had set a January 21 deadline for Bangladesh’s final decision, BCB officials publicly denied the existence of any fixed ultimatum. Media Committee Chairman Amjad Hossain confirmed that discussions with ICC representatives are ongoing and that Bangladesh have formally communicated its reluctance to play in India, requesting alternate arrangements. According to him, the ICC has yet to provide a definitive response or timeline.
Meanwhile, the ICC remains firm on retaining the original schedule, which places Bangladesh in Group C alongside New Zealand, West Indies, Italy, and Nepal, with matches slated for Kolkata and Mumbai. The governing body has rejected proposals to swap groups or shift matches to Sri Lanka and has emphasised that independent security assessments rate the risk level in India as low to moderate.
With Bangladesh’s opening match against West Indies at Eden Gardens only weeks away, uncertainty persists. Should Bangladesh ultimately withdraw, ICC sources indicate a replacement team, potentially Scotland, could be drafted in, underscoring the high stakes of the unresolved impasse.
Bangladesh squad for T20 World Cup: Litton Das (C), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Saif Hassan, Tawhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Quazi Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Shaif Uddin, Shoriful Islam
