The Bangladesh Cricket Board has sought time from the International Cricket Council and will revert only after consultation with the government, after the former asked the world body to shift their T20 World Cup matches from India to another venue, according to a report in The Telegraph.
The International Cricket Council held several internal meetings on Monday, in both Mumbai and Dubai and engaged with officials from the BCCI and Bangladesh Cricket Board in a bid to resolve the crisis.
With just a month remaining before the marquee event, the ICC faces major logistical challenges if Bangladesh’s games need to be relocated from India.
The report adds that the ICC is open to minor tweaks in the games and has promised Bangladesh top-level security if they stick to playing their games in India. A formal letter will follow soon. No decision will be rushed, though the ICC is preparing a Plan B to address any eventuality.
For reference, the ICC may point to the incident-free 2023 ODI World Cup during Pakistan’s India tour in October–November as an example.
Bangladesh will play three of their four group-stage games at Eden Gardens, with the remaining match in Mumbai. They are placed in Group C alongside former champions England and the West Indies, as well as Nepal and Italy.
The ICC events team is aware that any schedule changes would not just affect the group stage if Bangladesh advance to the Super Eights. With online ticket sales for the World Cup already underway, the situation becomes even more complex.
“ICC will try to coax and convince Bangladesh to play in India. It isn’t just about the two teams, it also involves the spectators and fans, broadcasters, travelling media," a veteran ICC administrator was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.
As a last resort, the ICC may ask the BCCI and BCB to resolve the matter, as the dispute is between the two boards.
