NEW DELHI: With just over three weeks to go before the start of the T20 World Cup, uncertainty continues to swirl around where Bangladesh will play its matches, as the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) remain locked in a tense impasse over venues. What began as a security-related concern has now evolved into a full-blown standoff, forcing the ICC and co-host BCCI to look for alternatives within India itself, even as Bangladesh pushes for a complete shift out of the country.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The BCB has formally written to the ICC on more than one occasion, seeking to move all of Bangladesh’s scheduled fixtures from India to Sri Lanka, the tournament’s co-host. The board has cited player safety concerns amid political tensions between India and Bangladesh, and has maintained that it is unwilling to send its team to India under the current circumstances. However, as per a Cricbuzz report the ICC is reluctant to accommodate this demand, particularly given the logistical complexities of relocating matches so close to the February 7 tournament opener.
The same Cricbuzz report indicated that instead of Sri Lanka, the ICC and BCCI are actively exploring alternative venues within India. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) have been sounded out, with Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram emerging as potential replacement hosts for Bangladesh’s matches. While officials from both associations could not be reached immediately, it is learnt that they have conveyed their willingness to stage the games if required.Chepauk is already a confirmed World Cup venue and is scheduled to host seven matches, including a potential India–Australia Super 8 clash. TNCA officials have reportedly assured the ICC and BCCI that accommodating additional fixtures would not be an issue, given the availability of eight pitches at the venue.
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Should the ICC accommodate Bangladesh’s request to relocate matches?
Under the existing schedule, Bangladesh are set to play West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9 and England on February 14 in Kolkata, before travelling to Mumbai to face Nepal on February 17. However, those plans were thrown into doubt after the BCCI instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman. That decision triggered a chain reaction, with Bangladesh citing heightened security concerns, writing to the ICC for venue changes, and eventually banning the broadcast of the IPL — a first since the league’s inception in 2008.Adding another layer to the saga, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reportedly also approached the ICC, offering to host Bangladesh’s matches if neither India nor Sri Lanka proves acceptable. According to a Geo News report, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi has conveyed Pakistan’s readiness to step in, though no official confirmation has come from the ICC so far.For now, the ICC has yet to issue a formal response to the BCB, a step that could come as early as January 12. But with time running out and positions hardening, the Bangladesh venue question threatens to cast a long shadow over the build-up to one of cricket’s marquee global events.
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