Lagatar24 Desk
Dhaka: Bangladesh has refused to participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in India, with the Bangladesh Cricket Board citing security concerns and formally deciding to boycott the tournament after its request for a venue change was rejected.
Venue Dispute With ICC
According to sources, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam stated that Bangladesh was willing to play the T20 World Cup, but not in India, and instead wanted its matches shifted to Sri Lanka. However, the International Cricket Council rejected the request during a board meeting and gave the BCB a one-day deadline to confirm participation under the original schedule.
Government Confirms Boycott Decision
Following the ICC’s refusal, the Bangladesh government officially confirmed that the national team would not travel to India for the tournament. In a statement, the government argued that while cricket is entering the Olympics, excluding a country like Bangladesh would ultimately harm the ICC itself. Officials added that Bangladesh would remain in communication with the ICC regarding future developments.
Scotland Likely Replacement
With Bangladesh withdrawing, Scotland is likely to be offered a spot in the T20 World Cup based on team rankings. A similar situation occurred in 2009, when Zimbabwe pulled out and another team was inducted as a replacement.
