The International Cricket Council's (ICC) security team has sent a letter to the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) amid their standoff with BCCI. The BCB had earlier sent a second letter to ICC to shift their venues for the 2026 T20 World Cup and though the global cricket body is yet to react to it, their security team has sent them a new letter, highlighting the issues that will lead to security threat for the Bangladesh cricket team in India.
The Tigers were scheduled to travel to India for the tournament, but the rise in tensions between BCCI and BCB has led to the latter requesting the ICC to shift their venues. The ICC had rejected their initial request, but the BCB remained adamant and decided to send a second letter. The matter is yet to be settled, but now ICC have also sent a letter back to BCB.
BAN's sports advisor reacts to ICC's letter
Sports Tak has learned that Bangladesh sports advisor Asif Nazrul has shared his verdict to the letter. He believes that it is impossible for the Bangladesh team to travel to India after the ICC has pointed out the things that will lead to security concerns for the team in the country.
"Now let's come to a different topic. Surely you are coming here to know the news of cricket. We have no development in the field of cricket. We have sent two letters. After sending the letter, we are waiting for the reply from the ICC. One thing has happened in this, I need to inform you. That is, the security team of the ICC and those in charge of security have sent a letter. In that letter, it has been said that three things will increase the security threat to the Bangladesh team," Nazrul told reporters during a visit to BFF House today.
"One is if Mustafizur [Rahman] is included in the Bangladesh team. Two, if the supporters of the Bangladesh team walk around wearing the national jersey of Bangladesh and our national jersey. And the third is that the closer the election comes, the more the security threat for the Bangladesh team will increase. So, this statement of the ICC security team has proven beyond doubt that there is no situation for the Bangladesh cricket team to play the T20 World Cup in India. If the ICC expects us to make a cricket team without our best bowler, our supporters not being able to wear the Bangladesh jersey, and that we will postpone the Bangladesh elections to play cricket, there cannot be a more absurd, unrealistic, and unreasonable expectation than this," he added.
“We believe that the prevailing communal situation in India and the anti-Bangladesh atmosphere, especially the continuous anti-Bangladesh campaign that has been going on for the last 16 months, have made it impossible for Bangladesh to play cricket in India,” he concluded.
BCB's demands to be met?
It remains to be seen as to where will the Bangladesh team play their T20 World Cup games. They will either be forced to play in India or will be granted to play in Sri Lanka as per their demands. The ICC is yet to make their decision on the second letter that the BCB had sent to them.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh have been drawn in Group C alongside the likes of England, Nepal, Italy and West Indies. They will begin their campaign with the clash against West Indies on February 7.