Bangladesh will not play its T20 World Cup matches in India, Bangladesh sports adviser Asif Nazrul announced on Sunday, citing growing tensions between the two countries and concerns over player safety. The decision comes a day after Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, reportedly following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Bangladesh is scheduled to play three matches of the ICC T20 World Cup in Kolkata next month. The tournament is set to be held from February 7 to March 8 and will be co hosted by India and Sri Lanka. However, Nazrul said the Bangladesh Cricket Board has decided that the national team will not travel to India for the event.
In a statement, Nazrul said the decision was taken in view of what he described as the extreme communal policy of India’s cricket board. He added that the BCB concluded it would be unsafe for the team to play in India under the current circumstances.
Relations between India and Bangladesh have been strained in recent months. Tensions escalated further after a Hindu factory worker, Dipu Chandra Das, was beaten and set on fire by a mob in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district over alleged derogatory remarks about Prophet Muhammad. Twelve people were arrested in connection with the incident, which sparked protests near the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.
Diplomatic ties were already under pressure after Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi following widespread protests against her government. These developments have added to concerns surrounding cross border travel and security.
Following Mustafizur Rahman’s release by KKR, the Bangladesh Cricket Board held an emergency meeting and indicated plans to approach the International Cricket Council to seek relocation of its World Cup fixtures. Nazrul said the board believes that if a contracted Bangladesh cricketer cannot play in India, the national team cannot feel secure participating in the tournament there.
He added that instructions had been given to formally request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches be shifted to Sri Lanka. The move echoes a previous ICC decision that allowed India to play Champions Trophy matches in the United Arab Emirates due to strained relations with Pakistan.
On Sunday, a cricket news website reported that the BCB plans to seek a formal explanation from the BCCI regarding Mustafizur Rahman’s release. Neither the ICC nor the BCB immediately responded to requests for comment.
Bangladesh were originally scheduled to face West Indies, England, and Italy in Kolkata before concluding their group stage against Nepal in Mumbai. The future venues for these matches are now expected to be reviewed by the ICC.
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