Bangladesh insist they will not play T20 World Cup matches in India

Bangladesh insist they will not play T20 World Cup matches in India

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has reiterated that the country's cricket team will not play any of their T20 World Cup matches in India and want their games shifted to co-hosts Sri Lanka.

The Tigers are scheduled for three fixtures in Kolkata and one in Mumbai at the global tournament that starts on 7 February.

The issue started when Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman was withdrawn from IPL Kolkata Knight Riders on the instruction from the BCCI.

Political relations between the two countries have deteriorated in recent months and the Bangladesh government then banned the broadcast of the IPL in the country following Mustafizur's withdrawal.

The ICC shared a security assessment which indicated no specific threat to the Bangladesh team in India but the BCB will remain firm in it's stance.

In a statement the BCB said: "During the discussions, the BCB reaffirmed its position regarding the decision not to travel to India, citing security concerns.

"The board also reiterated its request for the ICC to consider relocating Bangladesh's matches outside India.

"While the ICC highlighted that the tournament itinerary has already been announced and requested the BCB to reconsider its stance, the board's position remains unchanged.

"Both parties agreed that discussions will continue to explore possible solutions. The BCB remains committed to safeguarding the well-being of its players, officials and staff while engaging constructively with the ICC to address the matter."

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