Bangladesh Again Declines ICC Invitation to Play W-cup in India

Darwin, January 13: Uncertainty continues over Bangladesh’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, with discussions circulating about possible venue or group changes.

In this context, the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) held a video conference, during which Bangladesh reiterated its request to host its matches outside India due to security concerns.

According to a BCB press release, the video conference took place on Tuesday afternoon. Representing the BCB were President Aminul Islam, Vice-President Shakawat Hossain, Faruk Ahmed, Director and Chairman of the Cricket Operations Committee Nazmul Abedin, and Chief Executive Officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.

During the discussions with the ICC, the BCB reiterated its position against traveling to India for the tournament, citing safety concerns.

It also requested that the ICC consider relocating Bangladesh’s matches to venues outside India. In response, the ICC emphasized that the tournament schedule had already been announced and urged the BCB to reconsider its position. However, the BCB maintained its stance.

Both sides agreed to continue discussions to find a possible solution. The BCB strongly reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of players, officials, and staff. Earlier, the ICC’s security division had raised three specific concerns regarding Bangladesh’s participation in the India-hosted World Cup.

Citing the ICC letter, BBC Bangla reported that a risk assessment of the T20 World Cup in India was completed in December, which categorized overall tournament risks as “moderate.”

For Bangladesh, however, the risk level was classified as “moderate to high” in an internal email sent to the BCB. Additional factors mentioned included the safety of Bangladeshi supporters, ongoing political tensions between India and Bangladesh, and the upcoming Bangladeshi elections.

Previously, Bangladesh star pacer Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad in the Indian Premier League after protests from a hardline Hindu nationalist group.

Neither the BCCI nor the IPL franchise publicly cited the reason, but Bangladesh believes the move was linked to growing resentment against Mustafizur, raising broader security concerns for the entire team.

The T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin on February 7, with Bangladesh set to play three group-stage matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai under the original schedule.