DHAKA, Bangladesh — The International Cricket Council is preparing to send a delegation to Bangladesh in an effort to resolve an ongoing dispute over the country’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka beginning February 7.
ICC sources said the delegation will travel to Bangladesh in the coming days for in-person discussions with officials from the Bangladesh Cricket Board, following the failure of earlier attempts to resolve the issue through email exchanges and virtual meetings. A final decision is expected after the talks.
“ICC delegation will travel to Bangladesh in a few days for a final one-on-one meeting with BCB officials regarding the T20 World Cup, and a decision will be announced after it,” ICC sources said.
The move comes after the Bangladesh Cricket Board, backed by the country’s sports ministry, took a firm position against playing any matches in India. The stance followed a request by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Bangladeshi player Mustafizur Rehman from its squad, according to reports.
Bangladesh’s interim government Youth and Sports Adviser, Asif Nazrul, also confirmed the planned ICC visit. Speaking to reporters at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, Nazrul said discussions were expected but emphasized that Bangladesh’s position remained unchanged.
“According to the latest updates, Mr. Aminul Islam informed me that an ICC team is likely to come to Bangladesh for discussions. There is no chance of us changing our stance. We are eager to play in the World Cup, particularly in Sri Lanka, and I strongly believe that organising this is not impossible,” Nazrul said, as quoted by The Daily Star.
The ICC previously held a video conference with the Bangladesh Cricket Board to address the issue. During the meeting, the BCB reiterated its request that Bangladesh’s matches be moved outside India. While the ICC noted that the tournament schedule had already been finalized and urged Bangladesh to reconsider, no agreement was reached. Both sides agreed to continue talks in search of a resolution.
Under the current schedule, Bangladesh are set to play three matches in India — against the West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, and England on February 14 in Kolkata — before traveling to Mumbai to face Nepal on February 17. (Source: IANS)
