Bangladesh vs ICC Dispute Over T20 World Cup Venues

In regard to the upcoming 2020 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has sent a second official letter to the International Cricket Council. It is in order to move Bangladesh’s matches away from India. The timing of this letter has created more confusion and uncertainty about the fate of these matches in only weeks before they are set to begin.

The ‘Reason’ Why They Sent This Second Letter

Recent reports suggest that the timing of the letter written by the BCB was as a result of a meeting. It took place between the BCB and the sports ministry’s advisor Asif Nazrul. Sources claim that this letter outlines Bangladesh’s concerns about travelling to India due to their security fears. But that these fears were not specified in the letter to the ICC. Upon receiving this letter from the BCB, the ICC has responded and requested further information. It is in respect of the nature of the problems referred to within the letter from the BCB.

This topic has quickly become one of the main stories within the world of sports news headlines today. It has significant ramifications not only for the forthcoming 2020 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Also because the matches are very close to commencing.

Bangladesh’s Matches and Venue Issues

The BCB has already confirmed that they will play three matches as a part of the group stage of the 2020 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Two of which are scheduled to be played in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. However, as of now, the BCB has not made any final arrangements for their trip to India. They have requested that the ICC look into moving their matches to another country such as Sri Lanka or Colombo due to safety concerns.

The tournament begins on February 7, which limits the amount of time to adjust if a venue switch is approved.

The BCB is Divided Internally

According to reports, there are two groups within the BCB regarding what to do moving ahead. There is one faction that is in strong support of Asif Nazrul’s position. Also, that it is that unless guarantees are in accordance to their standards, there will have to be a full venue change. There is another group on the board that believes that a series of negotiations with both the ICC. Indian officials is the proper course of action, and that through enhancing security, these issues can be resolved.

This type of division marks a significant change in the historically good relationship that the BCB has had with the BCCI.

To date, the ICC has not made any public statements about the situation. But they are currently conducting an investigation into the situation. While there is no definitive way to guarantee that Bangladesh’s games will not be held in Kolkata and Mumbai. The ICC has demonstrated a willingness to explore the validity of the security concerns that have been raised.

At the same time, the ICC has not indicated that it intends to change the existing schedule. This suggests that negotiations are still going on behind the scenes.

Implications of the Disagreement on the Competition as a Whole

The disagreement comes at a time when there has been heightened awareness regarding international travel issues, athlete safety issues, and the effect of geopolitical circumstances.

Tournament organizers face major concerns regarding how a change in venue late in the process will affect ticket sales, team preparation, and television coverage.

As the clock continues to tick on the tournament, sports fans, analysts, and media are anxiously watching to see whether the it must be resolved diplomatically or whether there will be an extremely large-scale logistical change for the T20 World Cup.

So where do we go from here?

As of today, it is still unclear whether Bangladesh will play in matches in India. After receiving or not receiving an approval from the ICC for this tournament. Only time will tell if a successful compromise occurs or if further conflict develops regarding this very important cricketing issue.