'Don't want to play in World Cup at cost of national humiliation': Bangladesh govt says ICC response not satisfactory

NEW DELHI: The Bangladesh govt has urged the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to write a fresh letter to the ICC citing concerns over upholding the “dignity of the nation”. In an earlier response to BCB's demand of moving Bangladesh's T20 World Cup matches to Sri Lanka, the ICC had said it was “ready to discuss” security concerns surrounding the team.

Bangladesh are slated to play three league matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. On Wednesday morning, the BCB said there had been no talk with the ICC regarding points being forfeit if the team refused to travel to India.




“ICC has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the full and uninterrupted participation of the Bangladesh team in the tournament. The ICC has conveyed its willingness to work closely with the BCB to address the concerns raised and has assured that the board's inputs will be welcomed and duly considered,” read a BCB statement on Wednesday afternoon. “The board will continue constructive engagement with the ICC and relevant event authorities in a cooperative and professional manner to arrive at... a practical solution.”

The scenario, however, changed by evening when Bangladesh govt's adviser to the sports ministry, Asif Nazrul, held a meeting with BCB directors and claimed the ICC failed to understand the concerns mentioned. “We are a cricket-crazy nation and we definitely want to play. But we do not want to play the World Cup at the cost of national humiliation, the security of our cricketers, spectators and journalists or at the (cost of) the country's dignity,” Nazrul told local media in Dhaka.

“After reading the letter we received from the ICC today, it seems that they have not fully understood the serious security situation. It does not feel like only a security issue — it feels like an issue of national humiliation,” he added.

That premise, he said, was based on BCCI asking KKR to drop Mustafizur Rehman hinting at security issues, although no specific reason was provided and KKR simply instructed to drop the cricketer. “Our first stand is to convince the ICC. The letter will be sent by Thursday,” Nazrul stated.

BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul said the board would go by govt advice. “India did not go to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy. Pakistan will not go to India either. We hope to get a proper answer. We are firm in our position,” Bulbul told local media.