Bangladesh's participation in T20 World Cup hangs in balance.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been given 24 hours more time to decide whether to travel to India for the ensuing T20 World Cup after the International Cricket Council (ICC) voted against the country's request for their matches to be shifted to Sri Lanka.
The decision was taken following an ICC Board meeting on Wednesda, via video conference, which was convened to discuss the way forward after the BCB had asked that its matches be moved out of India to Sri Lanka.
All but two of the 16-member board voted against any changes to the Twenty20 World Cup schedule.
Bangladesh have refused to play their matches in India, citing safety concerns following soured political relations between the neighbours, and demanded to play them in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament, instead.
"The decision was taken after considering all security assessments conducted, including independent reviews, all of which indicated there was no threat to Bangladesh players, media persons, officials and fans at any of the tournament venues in India," the ICC said in a statement after the board meeting.
"The ICC board noted that it was not feasible to make changes so close to the tournament and that altering the schedule under the circumstances, in the absence of any credible security threat, could set a precedent that would jeopardise the sanctity of future ICC events.
The ICC T20 World Cup to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka will be held from February 7 to March 8
(with ICC Media inputs)