The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) remains steadfast in its position and is determined to hold firm to the end. It will not play any matches of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in India.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has already proposed discussions with the BCB on the matter, with an online meeting scheduled to take place at some point today, sources said.
Ahead of any ICC tournament, a formal agreement is signed between the ICC as organiser and the participating nations. Under the terms of that agreement, if a country subsequently withdraws from a tournament or from any part of it, it must present a reasonable justification to the ICC.
In such cases, the most ‘secure’ justification is to cite a “government ban”. In the past, India’s refusal to tour Pakistan, or Pakistan’s refusal to tour India, has occurred on precisely these grounds.
Considering the reasoning valid, the ICC has accepted such positions and, where necessary, relocated the matches to another country. In the current T20 World Cup, for example, Pakistan will play its matches in Sri Lanka.
The BCB is now seeking to follow a similar “secure” path in its refusal to play the World Cup in India. In proposing to the ICC that Bangladesh’s matches be moved away from India, the BCB has placed the issue of security front and centre.
The Bangladesh government believes that Bangladeshi players, officials and other associated personnel would not be safe in India.
The BCB’s firm stance has, organisationally, placed the BCCI under a degree of pressure. As host of a global event, it is the BCCI’s responsibility to ensure participation by all teams; equally, ensuring the safety of all participants falls within the responsibility of the BCCI or the Indian government.
In light of this assessment, the government has directed that the Bangladesh team should not travel to India for the World Cup and that Bangladesh’s matches should be relocated to another country.
It was the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) itself that created the opportunity to raise questions about security in India by excluding Mustafizur Rahman from its domestic franchise T20 cricket tournament, IPL (Indian Premier League).
After taking that decision in the face of threats from certain political and extremist religious groups, a natural question arises: would the Bangladesh team be safe if it travelled to Kolkata or Mumbai to play World Cup matches?
The contingent would be substantial, players, coaches and officials combined. They would be accompanied by journalists travelling to cover the tournament and by supporters attending the matches.
If the safety of a single player such as Mustafizur cannot be guaranteed, what assurance is there for the safety of so many people?
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam went to sign the condolence book opened at the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson’s Gulshan office following the death of former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
At this moment, we do not feel safe going to India to play the World Cup. We have made it very clear in our letter what we want to convey. We felt that security is a major concern.BCB president Aminul Islam
Speaking to journalists there, he said, “At this moment, we do not feel safe going to India to play the World Cup. We have made it very clear in our letter what we want to convey. We felt that security is a major concern.”
He also remarked the decision to exclude Mustafizur from the IPL as “disrespectful”.
Meanwhile, in an effort to allay the BCB’s security concerns, the BCCI, through the ICC, may propose at today’s online meeting that Bangladesh be provided with state-level security in India, a source familiar with the matter told Prothom Alo. Even so, as of yesterday, the BCB had decided that it would not agree to such a proposal.
A senior board official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo, “When there is a government directive in place, we have no scope to take any other position. The question of security is not limited to the players alone; it extends to everyone who would travel from Bangladesh for the World Cup. Who will guarantee their safety?”
The BCB’s firm stance has, organisationally, placed the BCCI under a degree of pressure. As host of a global event, it is the BCCI’s responsibility to ensure participation by all teams; equally, ensuring the safety of all participants falls within the responsibility of the BCCI or the Indian government.
As organiser, it is the ICC’s duty to extract such guarantees from the host nation. Although the current ICC chair, Jay Shah, is an Indian national, neither India nor the ICC has been able to dismiss this pressure lightly.
When there is a government directive in place, we have no scope to take any other position. The question of security is not limited to the players alone; it extends to everyone who would travel from Bangladesh for the World Cup. Who will guarantee their safety?A senior BCB official
Some Indian media outlets have already reported that the ICC may respond positively to Bangladesh’s proposal to change venues.
The reality, however, is that relocating Bangladesh’s matches to Sri Lanka or another country just a month before the World Cup will not be easy.
Such a move would require changes to the tournament schedule, television broadcast arrangements and many other logistical elements.
Moreover, Bangladesh is due to play four matches in the group stage, and any alteration to the schedule would also require the consent of the opposing teams’ boards.
If the ICC ultimately does not accept the BCB’s proposal and the BCB, in turn, does not shift its position, the regulations provide that Bangladesh’s opponents would be awarded walkovers.
Should the ICC remain unconvinced by the “government ban” cited by the BCB, Bangladesh cricket could even face harsher sanctions. The BCB, however, does not expect matters to reach that point.
“We do not believe anything severe will happen, because everyone understands there are security concerns involved,” said another BCB director, wishing not to be named.