Daijiworld Media Network - Dubai
Dubai, Jan 21: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has thrown its weight behind Bangladesh’s decision to not play its T20 World Cup matches in India citing security concerns, and has formally communicated its support to the International Cricket Council (ICC), sources said.
In its communication, the PCB supported the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) demand for shifting its matches out of India and even offered to host all of Bangladesh’s games if logistical issues arise in moving them to co-host Sri Lanka.
“The PCB has conveyed that Bangladesh’s demand is justified and should be accepted. If there are difficulties in shifting their matches to Sri Lanka, Pakistan is ready to host all of Bangladesh’s games,” a PCB source said.
The ICC Board is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to take a final decision on Bangladesh’s participation in the tournament, including whether the team will travel to India for the event beginning February 7. Bangladesh are scheduled to play all four of their group-stage matches in India, with three games in Kolkata and one in Mumbai.
Despite multiple rounds of discussions between the ICC and the BCB — including a meeting held in Dhaka last weekend — neither side has shifted its position. While the ICC has insisted that the tournament be conducted as per the existing schedule, the BCB, backed by the Bangladesh government, has maintained that it cannot send its team to India.
The PCB has not made any public statement on the issue, though board sources confirmed that the Bangladesh government had reached out to Pakistan seeking support at the ICC level.
Pakistan, under an existing hybrid model agreement with the BCCI and ICC, will continue to play all its matches in Sri Lanka till 2027.
The Bangladesh-related crisis reportedly escalated after IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders released pacer Mustafizur Rahman following a directive from the BCCI, which referred to “recent developments all around”. Soon after, the Bangladesh government banned the broadcast of the IPL, and the BCB formally informed the ICC of its decision not to play World Cup matches in India.