The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reiterated that Bangladesh may opt for a walkover at the men’s T20 World Cup if the International Cricket Council (ICC) refuses to move the venue from India, maintaining a firm stance despite fresh developments following talks with the global governing body.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday (06 January), BCB director Asif Akbar said Bangladesh would not travel to India due to security concerns and had already communicated its position clearly.
“If the ICC does not change Bangladesh’s World Cup venue from India, Bangladesh will go for a walkover,” Asif Akbar said, indicating that the decision would effectively amount to withdrawing from the tournament.
The comments came before a virtual meeting later on Tuesday between the ICC and the BCB, after which conflicting versions of events emerged.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the ICC informed the BCB that its request to move Bangladesh’s matches out of India on security grounds had been rejected. The report said the ICC told Bangladesh it would need to travel to India to play the tournament or risk forfeiting points.
The BCB, however, strongly denied that any such ultimatum was issued. Board officials insist that no threat of forfeiture was communicated during the discussion. Neither the ICC, the BCB nor the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released an official statement following the meeting.
The meeting was arranged after the BCB formally wrote to the ICC on 04 January, requesting that Bangladesh’s matches be relocated outside India to ensure the safety of players, officials and board members.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the ICC’s position, Asif Akbar made it clear that Bangladesh’s stance has not changed.
“We have already made our decision. That option is no longer open,” he said. “Because of the Mustafizur issue and concerns regarding our players, we remain negative about playing in India. But we are ready to play in Sri Lanka.”
He added that the BCB would only decide its next course of action after receiving a formal response from the ICC.
“The ICC is the guardian of world cricket. Once we hear from them, only then will we be able to say what steps we are going to take,” he said.
Sources familiar with the ICC–BCB discussions said ICC officials told Bangladesh representatives that the governing body had no security assessment indicating any threat to the Bangladesh team in India. While no final decision has yet been communicated, there are no immediate signs of the ICC revising its stance. A formal response is expected by 10 January.
The T20 World Cup will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from 07 February to 08 March. Bangladesh are scheduled to play three Group C matches at Eden Gardens in Kolkata against West Indies on 07 February, Italy on 09 February and England on 14 February before facing Nepal in Mumbai on 17 February.
Bangladesh opting not to play would create significant complications and could strain cricketing relations between the two countries. However, Asif Akbar has placed responsibility for the current impasse squarely on India.
