Bangladesh will not play their Twenty20 World Cup matches in India after Mustafizur Rahman was released by his Indian Premier League (IPL) team amid threats from Hindu hardliners, Bangladesh’s sports adviser Asif Nazrul said.
Bangladesh are scheduled to play three Twenty20 World Cup matches in Kolkata next month, with the February 7-March 8 tournament being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
“Bangladesh will not go to India to play the World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has taken this decision today,” Nazr, who is an adviser to the Ministry of Sports, said in a statement on Facebook.
“We welcome this decision taken in the context of the extreme communal policy of India’s cricket board,” he added.
The statement came shortly after Kolkata Knight Riders announced on Saturday they had released the Bangladesh bowler after being told to do so by India’s cricket board.
Shah Rukh Khan’s franchise had purchased Rahman for 9.2 crore Indian rupees at IPL’s Abu Dhabi auction last month.
After Rahman’s release, it was reported that the BCB held an emergency meeting and were planning to write to the International Cricket Council (ICC) to relocate their matches amid concerns about player safety.
“The board said that when a Bangladesh cricketer can’t play in India despite being contracted, the entire Bangladesh cricket team can’t feel safe to go to the World Cup,” Nazr said.
“I have also instructed the board to request Bangladesh World Cup games to be held in Sri Lanka.”
“As the responsible advisor to the Sports Ministry, I have told the Bangladesh Cricket Board that they should write to ICC explaining the whole matter,” he added.
Pakistan’s matches are already scheduled for Sri Lanka amid tensions between the two neighbours.