Bangladesh claims that cricket’s global governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), has failed to understand their concerns regarding the security of their players in India. The Bangladesh Cricket Board
(BCB) recently asked the ICC to shift their T20 World Cup matches in India to a neutral venue, citing the safety and well-being of its cricketers.
The development closely follows BCCI’s directive to IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their roster for the upcoming season.
Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser, Asif Nazrul, held a meeting with BCB president Aminul Islam and vice-president Faruque Ahmed on Wednesday, following which he said their concerns are not just limited to security, but of national humiliation as well.
“After reading the letter we received from the ICC today, we felt that they have not fully understood the serious security situation that has developed in India for Bangladeshi cricketers,” Asif Nazrul said on Wednesday.
“To me, it does not feel like only a security issue. It feels like an issue of national humiliation as well. Still, we are primarily treating it as a security issue,” he added.
Nazrul reiterated BCB’s stance that they do not want Bangladesh to play their World Cup matches in India.
“We are a cricket-crazy nation and we definitely want to play. We do not want to play the T20 World Cup at the cost of national humiliation, at the cost of the security of our cricketers, spectators, and journalists, or at the cost of the country’s dignity,” he said.
He says Bangladesh won’t be open to any compromise, indicating they are unwilling to change their stance over relocating matches.
“When it comes to the security of our cricketers, the security of Bangladesh, and the honour and dignity of Bangladesh, there will be no compromise. We want to play the T20 World Cup and since there is another host country, Sri Lanka, we want to play there. We are firm on this position,” he said.
He added that the IPL exit of Mustafizur proves that environment in India isn’t safe for Bangladeshi players.
“When the Indian cricket board itself is telling the Kolkata team that they cannot provide security to this (Mustafizur) player and asking them to drop him from the team, that alone shows there is no environment in India where it is safe to play,” Nazrul said.
