NEW DELHI, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- Bangladesh wants its cricket team's T20 World Cup matches to be moved out of India over safety concerns, following the Indian cricket board's sudden decision to remove a Bangladeshi player from the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The Bangladesh interim government's Sports Advisor, Asif Nazrul, in a statement on Facebook, said his country will request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to let Bangladesh play its matches in Sri Lanka.
Asif also wants to ban the broadcast of IPL matches in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided that the cricket team will not go to India to participate in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, according to Bangladesh media reports.
"We have sent a letter to the ICC requesting that our match be moved from India to Sri Lanka.
"If they cannot provide security to one of our players, how will they ensure the security of our entire team?
That is why we will not go there to play," BCB director Khaled Mashud Pilot was quoted as saying by The Business Standard.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), one of the Indian Premier League franchises, said on Saturday that it had dropped Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the team, following a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The cricket regulator asked the franchise not to include the player “due to the recent developments,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said, in an indirect reference to the ongoing political friction between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the BCB on Sunday unveiled its squad for the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup.
Litton Das will captain Bangladesh in the tournament being held in India and Sri Lanka in February and March.
Bangladesh have played in each of the T20 World Cups held so far.
-- BERNAMA
