BCB has written to the International Cricket Council (ICC), requesting the apex body to move its T20-World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman (AFP PHOTO / Geoff CADDIC)
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided not to travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup matches following the BCCI’s decision to bar Bangladeshi cricketer Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“Bangladesh will not go to India to play in the World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board made this decision today. I welcome this decision, taken in response to the Indian cricket board’s extreme communal policies,” the sports adviser in Bangladeshi Interim Government, Asif Nazrul, said in a social media post.
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As per the reports in Bangladeshi media, the BCB has written to the International Cricket Council (ICC), requesting the apex body to move its T20 World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka.
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“We have sent a letter to the ICC requesting that our match be moved from India to Sri Lanka,” BCB director Khaled Mashud Pilot said.
He cited the issue of Rahman’s exclusion from his IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). “If they have said they cannot provide security to one of our players, how will they ensure the security of our entire team? That is why we will not go there to play,” he said.
Bangladesh was scheduled to play four matches in India – three in Kolkata and one in Mumbai.
The development comes a day after the BCCI directed KKR to release Rahman amid rising incidents of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
“Due to the recent developments that are going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, from their squad. If KKR asks for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said.
Later, KKR also confirmed the development, saying that they will abide by the BCCI’s directive.
Rahman was bought by KKR, co-owned by Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla, for a whopping Rs 9.20 crore during last month’s auction in Abu Dhabi.
He was the only Bangladeshi player picked up by any IPL franchise. However, amid the ongoing incidents of violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, several right-wing groups, including religious leaders, had objected to his inclusion in the IPL.
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