Amid violent protests and the country’s interim administration declaring an emergency, the Bangladesh Cricket Board. ( BCB) is holding onto optimism that it will host the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The board has written to General Waker-Uz-Zaman, the Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Army, on Thursday, requesting assurances on security for the tournament’s conduct. The warm-up games are currently slated to start on September 27.
If the tournament is shifted, the International Cricket Council (ICC), which has been closely following the situation in Bangladesh, is likely to choose a nation that has a similar time zone with Bangladesh. The ICC has also considered alternative host candidates. Sri Lanka, UAE, and India meet its requirements.
A temporary administration headed by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was chosen on Thursday, August 8, to oversee national affairs until new elections are held. As a result of their support from Hasina’s Awami League party, a number of board directors, including BCB president Nazmul Hassan, were compelled to flee Bangladesh after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left the nation. Nonetheless, a few additional board directors still call Dhaka home and harbour hopes of hosting the major event.
The chairman of the BCB Umpire Committee, Iftekhar Ahmed Mithu, stated, “We are trying to host the tournament.”
“To be honest there are not too many among us present in the country and on Thursday (August 8) we have sent a letter to the Army Chief regarding assurance about the security of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup as we have only two months in hand,” Mithu said on Thursday.
“ICC contacted us two days ago, and we responded by saying we will get back to them right away. We had to assure them of security even after the [interim] government was formed today, he continued, since no one else could provide it save the nation’s law enforcement agencies. For this reason, we sent the letter today, and we will notify the ICC once we receive a formal assurance from the Army.
During the course of the 18-day World Cup, ten countries will play 23 matches at two locations in Bangladesh: the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet and the Sher-e- Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. The matches will take place between October 3 and October 20.
Also Read: Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: ICC ‘closely watching’ Bangladesh insecurity, players’ safety first
According to information obtained, the ICC will evaluate the situation on the ground in Bangladesh before deciding where to hold the competition on August 10.
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