The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a viable alternative to host the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, despite the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ruling out hosting the event. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is making every effort to prevent the tournament from being transferred.
The BCB has requested extra time, but the International Cricket Council (ICC), under time pressure, is rumoured to be considering Dubai or Abu Dhabi as a potential location. It is anticipated that the ICC will reach a decision shortly, most likely on August 20, the day of the directors’ scheduled online meeting—albeit one with a different agenda.
On Thursday, August 15, a BCB representative stated that the organisation has asked the ICC to give it an additional five days before calling. On August 20, the day of the board meeting, the ICC would have to make a decision if it were to give the additional time. It’s thought that the original expectation was for the ICC to make a decision about the Women’s World Cup by August 15.
Although India was a perfect substitute, the BCCI rejected to hold the competition for a number of reasons, chief among them being the weather. “We were requested to host the World Cup by them (ICC). I’ve said no, plain and simple. In addition to being in the monsoon, we will also be hosting the women’s ODI World Cup in the following year. Shah stated, “I don’t want to send out any indications that I want to win World Cups back-to-back.
Shah’s remarks made it clear that, given the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, the ICC was considering other options. However, the BCB is not giving up.
It is confident in coming up with a strategy that would match the ICC’s requirements to host the event, which is presently set to start on September 27 with the warm-up games. Therefore, it has asked the governing body to extend the deadline. From October 3 to October 20, there are 23 matches and 10 teams participating in the actual competition.
Regarding security assurance for the tournament, BCB has already written to the Army Chief. According to sources, all sides are regularly in communication to determine what can be done. However, after the unrest last month, a number of BCB officials—including its long-time president Nazmul Hassan—left the nation.
The UAE meets the ICC’s requirements for a host nation with clear weather and a time zone comparable to Bangladesh, as was previously stated. In addition, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has top-notch facilities. More significantly, the European Central Bank is reportedly eager to host the occasion. It’s known that Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe are also considering it. Time is running out with only 50 days left till the competition begins.
Finalising the terms of reference for an investigation into the delivery of the last Men’s T20 World Cup, which was co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies, is reportedly on the agenda for the meeting on August 20. Roger Twose, Lawson Naidoo, and Imran Khwaja, three directors, created a panel to report on this issue during the ICC’s Annual Conference in Colombo last month.
Also Read: Bangladesh struggles with rioting, BCCI rejects the ICC’s request to host the Women’s T20 World Cup
Although this is the primary reason for the meeting, a decision about the Women’s World Cup cannot be completely ruled out.
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