ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to relocate its ICC World Cup T20 matches from India to Sri Lanka, stressing that any alteration to the schedule at this advanced stage would open a “Pandora’s box” of logistical and competitive complications ahead of the global showpiece.
The decision was taken during a virtual meeting of the ICC Board held on Wednesday evening, where Bangladesh’s reluctance to travel to India for its scheduled Group C fixtures was discussed at length. After seeking detailed feedback from all member nations, the Board reached a clear consensus to uphold the already-finalised tournament schedule. As per the existing draw, Bangladesh are placed in Group C alongside former champions England and West Indies, as well as Italy and Nepal, with all group matches slated to be played in India. The ICC reiterated that the integrity of the competition and the smooth conduct of the event demanded adherence to the announced itinerary.
In a firm but measured stance, the ICC made it clear that should Bangladesh opt out of travelling to India, the vacancy would be offered to Scotland, the next team in line based on qualification criteria.
While the official ICC communiqué refrained from disclosing voting details, sources indicated that a strong majority of full member boards voted against Bangladesh’s request. Several members reportedly maintained that had the BCB raised its concerns before the publication of the official schedule, the request might have been considered more sympathetically.
The Bangladesh Board, however, reiterated that the issue stemmed from security concerns heightened by developments in the Indian Premier League (IPL), particularly the decision by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Mushfiqur Rahman, citing an inability to guarantee his security. The BCB argued that the episode raised legitimate questions about player safety.
The ICC Board, in response, drew a clear distinction between the security arrangements of privately-owned franchise leagues and those put in place by host governments for ICC events. Board members emphasized that national teams participating in ICC tournaments are provided comprehensive security protocols, coordinated at the highest governmental and administrative levels.
The decision was taken after considering all security assessments conducted, including independent reviews, all of which indicated there was no threat to Bangladesh players, media persons, officials and fans at any of the tournament venues in India. The ICC Board noted that it was not feasible to make changes so close to the tournament and that altering the schedule under the circumstances, in the absence of any credible security threat, could set a precedent that would jeopardise the sanctity of future ICC events and undermine its neutrality as a global governing body.
The ICC management also engaged in a series of correspondences and meetings with the BCB in a bid to resolve the impasse, sharing detailed information on the event security plan, including layered federal and state law-enforcement support.
