NEW DELHI: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has been directed by the country’s sports ministry to seek a shift of Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup league matches from India to Sri Lanka, citing “concerns about players’ safety” following Mustafizur Rahman’s removal from the IPL on BCCI instructions.The Shah Rukh Khan co-owned IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released the Bangladesh left-arm pacer — bought for Rs 9.20 crore after a bidding war at last month’s auction in Abu Dhabi — in line with the BCCI’s diktat.
BCB president and former Bangladesh skipper Aminul Islam Bulbul refrained from making any public comment after an emergency board meeting held in the wake of the development.However, government adviser Asif Nazrul said he has instructed the board to approach the Jay Shah-led ICC to shift Bangladesh’s four league matches — three scheduled in Kolkata and one in Mumbai — to Sri Lanka.“As the adviser in charge of the Ministry of Sports, I have instructed the Cricket Control Board to put the entire matter in writing and explain it to the ICC,” Nazrul wrote in Bengali on his Facebook page.“The board must make it clear that if a Bangladeshi cricketer, despite being under contract, cannot play in India, then the Bangladesh national team cannot feel safe travelling to India to play the World Cup.“I have also directed the board to formally request that Bangladesh’s World Cup matches be held in Sri Lanka instead,” he further wrote.Bangladesh’s four league fixtures are against West Indies (February 7), Italy (February 9) and England (February 14) in Kolkata, followed by their final group match against Nepal (February 17) in Mumbai.A BCCI source, however, maintained that such a shift is virtually impossible with just a month remaining before the tournament.“You can’t just change games at someone’s whims and fancies. It is a logistical nightmare. Think about opposition teams. Their air tickets, hotels are booked.“Also on all days there are three games each which means one game is in Sri Lanka. There is broadcast crew. So it will be easier said than done,” the source said.India’s arch-rival Pakistan are already playing their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka as part of an understanding reached months ago.Meanwhile, Indo-Bangladesh relations have deteriorated sharply following the ouster of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August last year after anti-government protests.She was later sentenced to death in absentia by a tribunal for her alleged role in a deadly crackdown during the agitation in which several students were killed.While the BCCI did not explicitly cite the prevailing political situation as the reason for seeking Rahman’s release, it indicated that the decision was triggered by recent developments.Hindus have been targeted in violent attacks since Hasina’s ouster.
