The ICC Women's T20 World Cup is likely to be moved from Bangladesh to the UAE, according to indications from the recent International Cricket Council (ICC) Board meeting, which took place virtually on Tuesday, according o Cricbuzz.
The tournament is scheduled from October 03 to 20.
That the global event cannot be played in Bangladesh in the current circumstances was the overriding view of the Board members/directors, who attended the meeting. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is believed to have agreed to the shift. It will, however, continue to be the official host of the event.
Bangladesh has been grappling with internal violence, marked by student unrest and political turmoil, with reports of fatalities continuing to emerge despite the recent takeover by a new government. During the board meeting, concerns were raised that hosting the event in a country afflicted by such violence at this time may not be appropriate.
Even a player like Alyssa Healy said playing the World Cup in Bangladesh is not ideal at this stage. "I'd find it hard to fathom playing there [in Bangladesh] at the moment, as a human being, I feel like it might be the wrong thing to do," Healy said. "(That would be) taking resources away from a country that is really struggling. They are needing everyone they can possibly get in there helping people that are dying. There are obviously bigger factors at play than putting a cricket tournament on in Bangladesh at the moment ... but I'll leave it to the ICC to work out," the Australia women's team captain added.
After the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently declined to host the championship in India due to weather concerns and the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup in a year, the ICC was left with limited options. Although Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka expressed interest, the UAE was deemed the ideal choice for several reasons, particularly its favourable weather and alignment with Bangladesh's time zone.
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