T20 World Cup: ICC to visit Bangladesh amid venue dispute
What's the story
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to send a delegation to Bangladesh in the near future. The visit will be aimed at discussing the country's participation in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to start on February 7. The talks come amid an ongoing standoff between Bangladesh's sports ministry, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), and the ICC, both of which have refused to play in India.
Stance clarification
Bangladesh's firm stance on venue issue
Asif Nazrul, Bangladesh's sports adviser, made it clear that while they are eager to participate in the World Cup, there will be no compromise on where it is held. "Mr. Aminul Islam [BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul] informed me that an ICC team is likely to come to Bangladesh for discussions," Nazrul told media. "There is no chance of us changing our stance. We are eager to play in the World Cup, particularly in Sri Lanka."
Meeting outcomes
BCB's position remains unchanged after ICC meeting
The issue first came to light last week when BCB officials held a video conference with the ICC. During this meeting, the board reiterated its refusal to send the team to India due to safety concerns and formally requested that Bangladesh's matches be moved to co-host Sri Lanka. The ICC noted that the tournament schedule had already been announced and asked BCB to reconsider its position.
Safety assurance
BCB's commitment to player safety
After the meeting, the BCB reiterated its position of not traveling to India due to security concerns. The board also reiterated its request for ICC to consider relocating Bangladesh's matches outside India. While the ICC highlighted that the tournament schedule had already been announced and requested BCB to reconsider its stance, both sides agreed to continue dialogue "to explore possible solutions."
Participation uncertainty
Political tensions impact Bangladesh's participation
Bangladesh's participation in the World Cup has been thrown into doubt due to rising political tensions between the two nations. This was further aggravated when BCCI ordered IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from their squad. In light of these developments, sports adviser Nazrul has repeatedly said that Bangladesh is not ready to travel to India for the World Cup.