The Bangladesh Cricket Board has declared that it will not participate in next month’s T20 World Cup in India due to the prevailing situation and has requested to move its matches to a different location. Previously, Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman was let go by his IPL team because of the ongoing unrest in India, prompting the board to hold an emergency meeting. The BCB officially asked the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate the schedule of all matches outside of India.
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In a statement, the board emphasized that this decision was crucial to ensure the safety of players, officials, and other involved parties, and to create a secure environment for the team to engage fully in the tournament. This decision may lead to possible disruptions in matches starting on February 7, which have already been impacted by political frictions between India and Pakistan.
Bangladesh was set to compete in four of its group matches in India, including the opening game against the West Indies and a match against England in Kolkata on February 14. While the World Cup is being hosted in Sri Lanka, Pakistan's matches are also being relocated due to the tense relations with India.
The recent violent protests in Bangladesh have heightened the strain between the two nations, notably following the lynching of a Hindu man accused of blasphemy, which ignited protests from Hindu nationalist factions in India. The flight of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from Bangladesh and other local political developments have intensified anti-India sentiment.
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Mustafizur Rahman has been removed from the Kolkata Knight Riders squad, although the BCCI did not specify the reasons for this decision; secretary Devajit Saikia referred to “recent developments.” As per the BCB, the board scrutinized the situation over the past 24 hours and expressed serious concerns regarding player safety if matches were held in India.
The board’s directors concluded that the national team would not travel to India under the current circumstances so that the players can compete in the tournament within a safe environment. The ICC did not provide a response to the BBC’s request for comment.
The squad representing Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup includes: Liton Das (captain), Saif Hasan, Tanzeed Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Tohid Hardoy, Shamim Hossain, Noorul Hasan (wicketkeeper), Mehdi Hasan, Rashad Hossain, Naseem Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzeem Hasan Saqib, and Mohammad Shafiq.