Concerns Over Bangladesh’s Participation in T20 World Cup
Asif Nazrul, the sports advisor of Bangladesh, recently claimed that the ICC has acknowledged Bangladesh’s specific security concerns regarding their participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup in India. However, the ICC has refuted these claims, calling them “a complete lie.”
Bangladesh has expressed reluctance to travel to India for the tournament, citing security concerns. They have requested to move their matches to Sri Lanka, one of the co-hosts of the event. This decision came after pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from the IPL by the BCCI due to unspecified “developments.”
Nazrul stated during a press conference in Dhaka that the ICC’s security team had identified three factors that could increase the security threat to the Bangladesh team. These factors included Mustafizur Rahman’s inclusion in the team, supporters wearing the national jersey, and the upcoming Bangladesh elections.
Despite the communication between ICC and BCB regarding security in India, the ICC denied Nazrul’s claims that they have accepted Bangladesh’s concerns. An ICC source clarified that there was no mention of Mustafizur’s selection being an issue in their formal communication.
The upcoming T20 World Cup is set to take place from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh’s concerns arose after Mustafizur’s release from the IPL and the subsequent banning of IPL broadcast in Bangladesh.
While former captain Tamim Iqbal and current Test skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto have urged for a more balanced approach to the situation, Nazrul has maintained a firm stance, insisting that Bangladesh will not back down from their demands.
As the cricketing world awaits a resolution to this issue, the fate of Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup hangs in the balance.
