NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council on Wednesday rejected Bangladesh’s demand to shift their matches at next month’s Twenty20 World Cup outside India, dismissing any security threat to the team following political tensions between the South Asian neighbors.
Uncertainty loomed over the global showpiece after Bangladesh refused to tour India and demanded to play their matches in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament.
The stalemate prompted an emergency ICC board meeting in which the governing body decided against tinkering with the tournament schedule.
“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 said in a statement.
“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 jeopardize the sanctity of future ICC events...”
It leaves Bangladesh with the options of either changing their stance or getting replaced in the 20-team tournament beginning on Feb. 7.
Political relations have soured between the neighbors in recent times and Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) despite him signing for its Kolkata franchise.
Bangladesh responded by refusing to tour India and banning broadcasts of the IPL in the country.
An ICC delegation arrived in Dhaka last weekend to find a solution but the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) stuck to its guns.
“Despite these efforts, the BCB maintained its position, repeatedly linking its participation in the tournament to a single, isolated and unrelated development concerning one of its players’ involvement in a domestic league,” the ICC said alluding to Mustafizur’s IPL snub.
“This linkage has no bearing on the tournament’s security framework or the conditions governing participation in the T20 World Cup.”
Pakistan will play their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka in keeping with their policy of not touring India over geopolitical tension between the neighbors.
