The Bangladesh government has officially confirmed that its national cricket team will not travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Authorities have cited “genuine security risks” and a volatile regional political climate as the primary reasons for the decision.
The announcement, delivered by Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul on Thursday, represents a direct defiance of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) recent ultimatum. On Wednesday, the ICC board had voted to maintain the original schedule, effectively warning Bangladesh that failure to travel would result in their replacement by Scotland.
Speaking to reporters, Asif Nazrul emphasised that the safety of the players, coaching staff, and accompanying delegation remains the government’s top priority.
“Bangladesh is not travelling to India to play the World Cup due to the security risk—this is a decision made by the Bangladesh government,” Nazrul stated. “No other entity has any rights to take this decision.”
The government’s firm stance overrides recent attempts by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to negotiate a compromise. The move challenges the ICC’s insistence that independent security assessments showed no credible threat to the team in India.
The sports adviser addressed the potential financial penalties and sporting repercussions, arguing that human life and national dignity are far more valuable than tournament participation.
“You should also consider what the damage would be if we played the World Cup,” he said. “Pushing our players, fans, and journalists into a genuine risk amidst this regional political situation, with our heads bowed down... is a damage that must be weighed.”
Despite the ICC’s decision to potentially include Scotland as a replacement team, Dhaka remains hopeful for a diplomatic breakthrough. The Bangladesh government is continuing to push for its matches to be relocated to Sri Lanka, a move they argue is supported by historical precedents where security concerns led to venue shifts.
“We still hope the ICC will do justice,” Nazrul added. “There are many precedents in the world where matches are played at a different venue due to security risks. We have not given up hope yet.”
