Bangladesh double down on demand to shift their T20 World Cup matches to Sri Lanka: 'No compromise on dignity'

Bangladesh will try to further convince the International Cricket Council (ICC) to move their T20 World Cup matches to Sri Lanka as the governing body “doesn’t fully realise the scale of the security issue regarding Bangladeshi cricketers in India.”

Bangladesh received a communication on Wednesday after writing to ICC demanding their games for the next month’s tournament be shifted outside India. The demand came after their star pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released by Kolkata Knight Riders. However, the response from the cricket governing body seems to have not satisfied the Bangladeshi board.

‘Unsafe to play in India’

“Today, after reading the letter from the ICC, we understand that the ICC doesn’t fully realise the scale of the security issue regarding Bangladeshi cricketers in India,” Bangladesh’s sports advisor Asif Nazrul said on Wednesday.

He said that the issue did not just remain limited to security but had been associated with the dignity of the nation as he reiterated that India remains unsafe for travel for Bangladeshi players.

More from First Cricket

How ICC’s security assessment was falsely portrayed by Bangladeshi media and sports adviser Asif Nazrul ICC sources rubbish Bangladesh sports adviser’s sensational claim of BCB being asked to drop Mustafizur

“I believe it’s not only a matter of security but also that of national humiliation. We are looking at it as a security issue, where the BCCI itself is telling the Kolkata team that this player can’t be given security, leave him out from your team. This in itself is a tacit recognition that it isn’t very safe to play in India.”

Nazrul also said that as much as Bangladesh want to play the World Cup, they would not make compromises to the safety of the players and the dignity of the nation.

Quick Reads

View All

'Won't require surgery...': Real reason behind Jasprit Bumrah's absence from 5th Test revealed in new report

PCB bans players from WCL over India-Pakistan match controversy

“When it comes to our cricketers’ safety, Bangladesh’s safety, and Bangladesh’s dignity, we won’t make any compromise. We want to play cricket, we want to play the World Cup - but we want to play in Sri Lanka, which is the other host country. We are honouring our position on this because we hope we are able to convince the ICC, and that the ICC considers our logic with an open heart, and neutrally, to let us deservingly play in the World Cup,” he said.

“Whatever happens next, we’ll take a stand accordingly. For now, we have taken this stand very clearly that we’ll convince the ICC that the atmosphere isn’t for us to play in India.”

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam too echoed the government stance regarding participation in the World Cup.

“When the Champions Trophy happened, India didn’t go to Pakistan. Even Pakistan didn’t go to India to play a World Cup. So we hope we’ll get the right answer,” Islam said.

Bangladesh are scheduled to play all their four group games in Kolkata and Mumbai. ESPNCricinfo reports that Bangladesh could be knocked out of the World Cup if they refuse to travel to India.