NEW DELHI, Jan 21 (ABC): The International Cricket Council has rejected Bangladesh’s request to move its T20 World Cup matches out of India, saying there was no credible security threat and that changes to the schedule were not feasible so close to the tournament.
In a statement issued on Wednesday following a board meeting, the ICC said its decision was based on multiple security assessments, including independent reviews, all of which concluded that Bangladesh players, officials, media personnel and fans would be safe at the tournament venues in India.
Bangladesh had sought to have its matches shifted to Sri Lanka, the tournament’s co-host, citing safety concerns arising from strained political relations between the two countries.
“The decision was taken after considering all security assessments conducted, including independent reviews, all of which indicated there was no threat to Bangladesh players, media persons, officials and fans at any of the tournament venues in India,” the ICC said.
The governing body added that altering the match schedule at this late stage would be impractical and could undermine future events.
“The ICC board noted that it was not feasible to make changes so close to the tournament and that altering the schedule under the circumstances, in the absence of any credible security threat, could set a precedent that would jeopardise the sanctity of future ICC events,” the statement said.
According to the ICC, its management held a series of meetings and exchanges with the Bangladesh Cricket Board to address the concerns raised. During these engagements, the ICC shared detailed information on event security, including venue-specific plans and layered arrangements involving federal and state law enforcement agencies.
An ICC spokesperson said the council had engaged in sustained and constructive dialogue with the BCB over recent weeks to facilitate Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament.
“During this period, the ICC has shared detailed inputs, including independent security assessments, comprehensive venue-level security plans and formal assurances from the host authorities, all of which consistently concluded that there is no credible or verifiable threat to the safety or security of the Bangladesh team in India,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that the ICC remained committed to acting in good faith, upholding consistent standards, and protecting the collective interests of international cricket.
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to begin next month, with matches to be hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka.