The ICC had decided to send a delegation to Bangladesh for in-person talks with the BCB to resolve the deadlock over the team’s participation in the T20 World Cup scheduled in India and Sri Lanka.
To resolve the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to send a delegation to Bangladesh for face-to-face discussions. The tournament is scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka from February 7.
ICC sources told IANS that the delegation will travel to Bangladesh in the coming days for a final meeting with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials regarding the issue. A final decision is expected after this meeting. The ICC has opted for an in-person visit after previous efforts through emails and virtual meetings failed to break the deadlock.
“ICC delegation will travel to Bangladesh in a few days for a final one-on-one meeting with BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) officials regarding the T20 World Cup, and a decision will be announced after it,” ICC sources were quoted as saying by IANS.
The development follows the firm stance taken by the BCB and Bangladesh’s sports ministry, who have expressed their unwillingness to play matches in India. This position emerged after the BCCI reportedly asked IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their squad.
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Bangladesh’s interim government Youth and Sports Adviser, Asif Nazrul, also confirmed the ICC’s proposed visit. Speaking to the media at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, Nazrul said, “According to the latest updates, Mr. Aminul Islam informed me that an ICC team is likely to come to Bangladesh for discussions. There is no chance of us changing our stance. We are eager to play in the World Cup, particularly in Sri Lanka, and I strongly believe that organising this is not impossible.”
Earlier, the ICC held a video conference with the BCB to discuss Bangladesh’s participation in the global event. During the meeting, the BCB reiterated its request to move its matches out of India. The ICC, however, pointed out that the tournament schedule had already been finalised and urged the board to reconsider its position. Despite this, the BCB remained firm, and both sides agreed to continue discussions.
As per the existing schedule, Bangladesh are set to play three matches in India—against West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14 in Kolkata. The team is then scheduled to travel to Mumbai to face Nepal on February 17.
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