BCB sees no immediate scope for T20 WC venue change despite Mustafizur snub
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has expressed deep disappointment over Mustafizur Rahman's removal from the Indian Premier League but believes there is no immediate option to seek a change of venue for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
A BCB director, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the stance to The Daily Star after an emergency board meeting on Saturday night.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Earlier, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) announced that Mustafizur had been dropped from their squad following instructions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), citing political considerations. The decision sparked widespread calls on social media and other platforms to move Bangladesh's World Cup matches -- scheduled to be held in India next February -- to Sri Lanka. While BCB president Aminul Islam Bulbul refrained from making an immediate public statement, the board convened an emergency meeting at 9:30 pm to discuss the issue.
Following the meeting, the director said the BCB had decided to formally communicate with the BCCI, the IPL Governing Council and the International Cricket Council (ICC). "We have decided to inform the ICC and the IPL governing body about the situation and seek clarification. We will highlight the public concern over security issues and also convey how insulted the BCB feels by this development," he said.
The board is particularly upset that Mustafizur was excluded despite being granted a no-objection certificate (NOC). "Even after providing clearance, our player has been denied the opportunity to play. This has caused significant distress to the BCB, and we will clearly convey our position to the BCCI," the director added.
Explaining the next steps, he said emails would be sent immediately as part of a formal institutional process involving the ICC, the IPL Governing Council and the player's agent. "We will now wait for their response before taking further action," he noted.
Addressing calls to relocate Bangladesh's World Cup fixtures, the director stressed the practical limitations. "At this stage, changing the venue is not an option for us. However, we will first seek clarification and clearance from the ICC," he said.
The official also warned that the incident has raised serious concerns over security arrangements ahead of the World Cup. "If a player like Mustafizur could not be assured of safety, it raises questions about the security of our journalists and the large number of supporters who will travel. This concern will be communicated to the ICC with due importance," he concluded.
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