A Bangladesh match official was on duty in India during the second ODI between India and New Zealand, even as the Bangladesh Cricket Board continues to maintain its position against travelling to India for next month’s T20 World Cup. The tournament, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to 8 March, has Bangladesh scheduled to play three group matches in Kolkata and one in Mumbai. The BCB has written to the ICC on several occasions, requesting that its fixtures be moved out of India due to security concerns.
Bangladesh umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat continued officiating in India despite the BCB’s stance on not travelling to the country for the upcoming T20 World Cup. He served as the TV umpire in the series opener at Vadodara and remained in the same role during the second ODI in Rajkot, where New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl first. In the match, Sharfuddoula acted as the third umpire, while Richard Illingworth and Rohan Pandit handled the on-field umpiring duties.
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Recently, the BCB has stood its ground on its decision not to travel to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup, following a video conference with International Cricket Council officials held on Tuesday. Despite discussions with the global body, the board made it clear that its concerns remain unresolved and its position unchanged.
“The BCB reaffirmed its position regarding the decision not to travel to India, citing security concerns,” the BCB said in a media release. “The board also reiterated its request for the ICC to consider relocating Bangladesh’s matches outside India.”
BCB unwilling to reconsider its stance
The ICC, during the meeting, underlined that the tournament schedule has already been finalised and urged the BCB to reconsider its stance in light of logistical planning and broader tournament arrangements. However, the Bangladesh board maintained that player and staff safety remains its top priority.
“Both parties agreed that discussions will continue to explore possible solutions. The BCB remains committed to safeguarding the well-being of its players, officials and staff while engaging constructively with the ICC to address the matter,” it added.
Meanwhile, it all started when BCCI instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to remove Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from its squad for this year’s tournament. The BCCI didn’t give any specific reason for the removal of the star left-arm paceman, but it is believed it was done because of the recent political tensions between the two countries.
