Mumbai (TIP)- Amid a failed last-ditch attempt to overturn the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to stage Bangladesh’s group games of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India, a fresh media report has claimed that ICC chairman Jay Shah is contemplating strict consequences if Bangladesh pull out of the tournament.
According to news agency ANI, Shah is currently in Dubai, where a final call on the matter is expected to be taken.
Tensions escalated after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) directed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from their squad amid rising regional concerns. The decision did not go down well in Bangladesh, where the government responded by banning the broadcast of the IPL.
Soon after, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wrote to the ICC, requesting that their T20 World Cup group matches be shifted out of India on security grounds. As per the tournament schedule, Bangladesh are slated to play their group games in Kolkata and Mumbai.
The ICC rejected the request following an independent security assessment that classified the threat level as “low to moderate”. The ICC Board of Directors subsequently voted 14-2 in favour of retaining Bangladesh’s matches in India.
As reported by PTI, the BCB then approached the ICC’s Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) in an attempt to overturn the decision. However, Clause 1.3 of the DRC’s Terms of Reference states that the committee cannot function as an appellate body against decisions taken by the ICC or its authorised committees.
As a result, the DRC declined to hear Bangladesh’s plea, ruling that it fell outside its remit under ICC by-laws.
The report further added that a formal announcement on Bangladesh’s replacement at the World Cup is expected by Saturday.
“The ICC Board members are extremely unhappy with Aminul Islam Bulbul over holding a press conference before informing the global body. Asif Nazrul is a persona non grata for the ICC, but Bulbul should not have allowed a press conference without first communicating with the ICC,” a source told PTI.
Scotland in line to replace Bangladesh
With the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) refusing to change their stand over their team’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, Scotland are in line to take their place. Cricket Scotland have been informally alerted about the developments and a final decision of the International Cricket Council (ICC) is awaited. ICC Chairman Jay Shah was in the Dubai headquarters on Friday, charting out the next course of action.
Scotland are likely to replace Bangladesh in Group C to be placed with England, Italy, Nepal and the West Indies. Bangladesh were scheduled to play three matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai.
On Friday, to have their way in getting Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup matches moved from India to Sri Lanka, the Bangladesh Cricket Board wrote to the ICC seeking the intervention of the governing body’s Dispute Resolution Committee, but the appeal would not pass muster, it is learnt.
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