The International Cricket Council (ICC) has asked Bangladesh to reconsider its decision not to play in India for the T20 World Cup, reports bdnews24.com.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), however, reaffirmed its stance, insisting that its matches be held outside India.The development was shared on Tuesday afternoon in a media statement issued by the BCB following a video conference with the ICC.
The BCB representatives in the meeting included President Aminul Islam Bulbul, Vice-Presidents Shakhawath Hossain and Faruque Ahmed, Cricket Operations chief Nazmul Abedin, and Chief Executive Officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury.
In the press note, the BCB reconfirmed its position of not touring India, citing safety and security risks, and urged the ICC to consider hosting matches at a neutral venue.
The ICC pointed out that the tournament itinerary has already been announced and requested the board to rethink its refusal, the statement said.
Both sides agreed to continue discussions to explore possible solutions.
The BCB statement also confirmed the board's commitment to ensuring the safety of players, officials, and staff, and pledged ongoing constructive engagement with the ICC.
The friction began after Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders following a directive from the Indian cricket board.
Since then, the BCB has twice requested the ICC to relocate its World Cup fixtures, detailing security concerns in India in a second follow-up email.
With the tournament schedule and venues nearly finalised, the ICC's response was largely expected.
Bangladesh is currently scheduled to play its group matches in Kolkata and Mumbai, facing the West Indies, Italy, England and Nepal.
As the standoff persists, the uncertainty surrounding the team's participation in the global event remains unresolved.
