Bangladesh’s scheduled matches in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, set to begin next month, are unlikely to be moved to Sri Lanka despite formal requests from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), with Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram emerging as potential alternative venues within India, according to multiple reports.
The BCB has twice formally written to the International Cricket Council, seeking to shift its fixtures out of India amid security and safety concerns following rising tensions between the two countries, including an earlier controversy after star pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from an Indian Premier League squad.
Bangladesh officials have insisted they would prefer all their World Cup matches to be played in co-host Sri Lanka rather than in India, arguing that the safety and well-being of players, support staff and visiting journalists must be ensured. However, the ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India are reportedly exploring the option of relocating the scheduled games to other venues within India rather than overseas, given logistical challenges so close to the tournament start.
Possible alternative cities under consideration include Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram, with officials from the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and Kerala Cricket Association said to have been approached about hosting matches originally slated for Kolkata and Mumbai.
The BCB’s stance has highlighted tensions over national pride and security. BCB president Aminul Islam has maintained that alternative venues in India would still mean playing in India, a position that underscores Dhaka’s reluctance to compromise on its request.
The dispute comes as Bangladesh prepares to play three Group C matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai, with the BCB arguing that the current political and security climate is unsuitable for their team’s participation without relocation.
The ICC has not made a definitive decision, and final venue allocations are expected to be communicated in the coming days as the tournament’s February start approaches. (Newswire)
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