Bangladesh has refused to change its stance of not playing its T20 World Cup matches in India, virtually ruling itself out of the tournament, which begins on February 7.
Scotland are expected to join the 20-team event as replacement for Bangladesh, which on Thursday accused cricket’s world body of double standard and denial of “justice”.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board announced its latest decision after an hour-long meeting with government sports adviser Asif Nazrul and several national team players at a Dhaka hotel on Thursday afternoon.
It is understood that several leading Bangladesh players had expressed a desire to play in the World Cup but Nazrul told them the security threat in India did not just exist in “theory” but was “real”.
The BCB brass, including its president Aminul Islam and CEO Nizamuddin, participated in the meeting.
The International Cricket Council’s board had on Wednesday formally rejected Bangladesh’s request to play their matches in Sri Lanka following a 14-2 verdict at an emergent meeting. The world body had set the BCB a 24-hour deadline to take a decision in consultation with the country’s government.
The ICC believes there is no credible security threat to the Bangladesh team in India, and that agreeing to change the venues would set an unwelcome precedent.
Aminul said he would continue to communicate with the ICC on the subject of Bangladesh playing their matches in Sri Lanka.
“We are calling Sri Lanka co-hosts, but they are not co-hosts. Sri Lanka is part of the hybrid model where one country is going to play,” Aminul said. “We indicated to theICC that since our government is reluctant to play in India, we want to take that option. Still, they denied our request. We will communicate with the ICC today. We are ready to play the World Cup inSri Lanka. We don’t want to play in India.”
Pakistan’s matches will be held in Sri Lanka in the light of a prior agreement between the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Pakistan Cricket Board that allows their teams to play at neutral venues when either country hosts an ICC event.
“A world organisation cannot impose a 24-hour ultimatum. We will keep fighting,” Aminul said. “Bangladeshis a cricket-loving nation. Ifa country of nearly 200 million people misses the WorldCup, the ICC will lose a huge audience.”
Having taken the matter to a point of no-return, the Bangladesh government and the BCB appear to be struggling to find a way out of the crisis without having to lose face.
As things stand now, not only will the Bangladesh players be deprived of the chance to play in a World Cup, the financial implications of a pullout can hurt the country’s cricket establishment badly.
Bangladesh cricket stands to lose around $300,000 in participation fees for the group stages alone. Besides, its annual revenue share, which comes to about $27 million, will be significantly curtailed.
The BCB’s decision to not play in India came a day after KKR released Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman following instructions from the BCCI that cited the “recent developments” in Bangladesh.
“The BCCI bowed down to pressure from fundamental(ist) groups and kicked him out of their tournament,” Nazrul alleged.