The International Cricket Council (ICC) has turned down a request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to shift Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka, clearing the way for the fixtures to go ahead as scheduled.
The decision was taken at an ICC Board meeting held via video conference on Wednesday. The meeting was convened after the BCB raised concerns over security and formally sought a change in venues.
According to the ICC, the Board examined multiple security assessments, including independent evaluations.
All of them, the governing body said, found no credible threat to the safety of Bangladesh players, team officials, media personnel or fans at any of the tournament venues in India.
With the tournament already close at hand, the ICC said a venue change was not a viable option. It added that altering fixtures without a verified security risk could create an unwanted precedent for future international events.
“The ICC Board noted that relocating matches under the present circumstances could jeopardise the sanctity of ICC events and undermine the organisation’s neutrality as a global governing body,” the ICC said in a statement.
The governing body also pointed out that it has been in regular communication with the BCB over the past few weeks. These discussions involved sharing detailed information on security arrangements for the tournament.
According to the ICC, the plans include venue-specific measures and assurances of layered protection, with coordination between federal and state law enforcement agencies.