New Delhi: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam Bulbul has finally broken his silence on the ongoing India-Bangladesh cricketing row. On Wednesday, the BCB chief said that they do not have a problem in travelling to India for the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2026 but player and staff security is of utmost importance to them, pressing for venue shift.
Quashing the rumours of the ICC forcing Bangladesh to play all their World Cup matches in India, Bulbul said that all the claims are baseless as nothing of such sort has happened. The global governing body is fully cooperating with Bangladesh cricket as far as their concern of travelling to India is concerned while at the same time, they are trying to convince the ICC regarding the venue change.
The ongoing row, which started with Bangladesh player Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from KKR franchise, intensified after Bangladesh demanded a change in the venues of their World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka. India and Sri Lanka are set to co-host the showpiece event beginning from February 7 with the row boiling down to Bangladesh’s participation in the global event in India.
BCB chief, sports advisor remain firm on venue change
The BCB head, after meeting sports adviser Asif Nazrul and other BCB members said that their main concern in security with Nazrul also echoing Bulbul’s statement saying that they will try their level best to convince the global governing body regarding the venue change in the showpiece event. Till now, this demand has not been accepted by the ICC, led by Jay Shah.
Both reiterated their stance on why they are not comfortable with the team’s travel to India. Azrul was more vocal than BCB president Aminul. ‘So far, we have very clearly taken this decision that we will make the ICC understand that we do not have an environment suitable for playing in India. This will be conveyed tonight or by tomorrow morning.’
“With those sufficiently strong arguments, we will make the ICC understand that the core principle of our stand is that on the questions of Bangladesh’s security, Bangladesh’s honour, and Bangladesh’s dignity, we will not compromise. But we definitely want to play the Cricket World Cup,’ said Nazrul.