The Bangladesh Cricket Board on Monday rejected reports suggesting that it had been given a deadline by the International Cricket Council to make a final decision on its participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The issue has intensified since Kolkata Knight Riders released Mustafizur Rahman, after which the BCB firmly reiterated its unwillingness to play the 20 team tournament in India, instead asking the ICC to relocate its fixtures to Sri Lanka. Neither side has softened its position. According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the ICC had conveyed a January 21 deadline to the BCB during discussions held in Dhaka over the weekend.
The BCB has consistently cited security concerns over travelling to India for the tournament, which begins on February 7, as the reason for seeking a venue change. The ICC, however, is said to be standing by the original schedule, under which Bangladesh are set to play all their matches in India, specifically in Kolkata and Mumbai.
The ESPNcricinfo report also stated that the ICC turned down Bangladesh’s request to be moved to Group B, with Ireland shifting to Group C in their place. The talks reportedly ended with the ICC asking the BCB to confirm whether it would participate, failing which another team, most likely Scotland, could be drafted into the tournament.
These claims were denied by the BCB’s media committee chairman Amjad Hossain, who said no deadline had been communicated during the ICC delegation’s visit to Dhaka. He explained that an ICC representative met BCB officials on January 17 and discussions focused on Bangladesh’s concerns about the venues. The board requested an alternative location and held detailed talks, after which ICC officials said they would report back and respond at a later stage without specifying any timeline.
ICC delegation visits Dhaka
The ICC team that travelled to Dhaka included Gaurav Saxena, General Manager for Events and Corporate Communications, and Andrew Ephgrave, head of the Integrity Unit. Following the meeting, the BCB issued a statement confirming it had asked the ICC to consider a group swap that would allow Bangladesh to play all its matches in Sri Lanka.
Subsequent media reports, however, suggested that the ICC had already informed Cricket Ireland that no changes would be made to the group structure. As things stand, Bangladesh are placed in Group C alongside England, Nepal, Italy and the West Indies. The team is scheduled to play three matches at Eden Gardens and one at Wankhede Stadium.
Bangladesh are also slated to feature on the opening day of the tournament, with their first match set against the West Indies on February 7.
