Bangladesh refuses to travel to India for T20 World Cup after ICC rejects venue change
ICC earlier rejected a venue change request, raising the possibility of Scotland replacing them.
Guwahati, Jan 23: Bangladesh on Wednesday refused to send its national cricket team to India for next month’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after the International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected its request for a change of venue, a decision that could pave the way for Scotland to replace them in the tournament.
The ICC had issued an ultimatum to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), asking it to confirm participation in India within 24 hours or risk being replaced, stating that there was no credible security threat to players, officials or supporters.
Bangladesh was given time until Thursday to convey its final decision. Scotland, based on ICC rankings, is next in line should Bangladesh withdraw from the competition, which is scheduled to begin on February 7.
Adopting a firm stance, Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul said the ICC’s position was unacceptable following consultations with national team players.
He reiterated Bangladesh’s proposal to play its matches in Sri Lanka and criticised the ICC for issuing a 24-hour ultimatum, calling it inappropriate for a global governing body.
Nazrul also warned that the ICC could suffer a significant loss in viewership if Bangladesh did not take part in the tournament.
Earlier, Bangladesh had conveyed its reluctance to travel to India citing security concerns amid strained bilateral relations and formally requested a change of venue.
However, the ICC maintained that the tournament would go ahead as scheduled in India, stating that logistical and organisational changes were not feasible at such a late stage.