T20 World Cup: 'Play in India or get ready to be replaced', ICC issues ultimatum to Bangladesh

Bangladesh had asked ICC to swap its national team with Ireland in Group C during the T20 World Cup in order to play in Sri Lanka instead of India.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rejected Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) demand to move the national team's matches out of India in the ensuing T20 World Cup and has reportedly given an ultimatum to the team to either travel to the neighbouring country and compete as per schedule or face the ignominy of being replaced by a lowly-ranked nation.

According to multiple media reports, ICC has given Bangladesh time until January 21 to take a final call on travelling to India.

Due to the diplomatic stand off between India and Bangladesh, the BCB had asked the ICC to swap its national team with Ireland in Group C during the T20 World Cup in order to play in Sri Lanka instead of India.

Bangladesh are currently placed in Group C along with the West Indies, Italy, England and Nepal and are scheduled to play their matches in Kolkata and Mumbai.

Ireland are in Group B alongside Sri Lanka, Australia, Oman and Zimbabwe and their matches are scheduled in Colombo and Pallekele.

A two-member ICC team, consisting of Gaurav Saxena, General Manager, Events and Corporate Communications, and Andrew Ephgrave, General Manager, Integrity Unit, was in Dhaka recently to convince BCB about the security arrangements in India and to follow the original schedule.

Bangladesh has been asking the game's global governing body to relocate its World Cup matches,, on the pretext of a perceived security threat to its players.

The BCB raised this demand after national team pacer Mustafizur Rahman was abruptly delinked from his Indian Premier League (IPL) contract with the Kolkata Knight Riders following a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directive.

The month-long tournament, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka begins on February 7.

India are the defending champions.

(with inputs from agencies)