Bangladesh Refuses 'Coercion' on T20 World Cup Matches in India

DHAKA: Bangladesh said they would not back down to "coercion" and play their T20 World Cup matches in India, casting doubt on their participation with cricket's governing body yet to rule on the impasse. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) are refusing to play in India, citing security concerns, and asked the International Cricket Council to move their matches to co-hosts Sri Lanka for next month's tournament. Talks with the ICC at the weekend failed to reach any deal to end the impasse. Indian media reported that Bangladesh had been told to agree to play in India by Wednesday or risk being kicked out of the tournament. But the Dhaka government said they would not be pressured into changing their stance. "We have logically requested a change of venue for valid reasons," Asif Nazrul, Youth and Sports Adviser in the Bangladesh interim government, told the state-run BSS news agency late Tuesday. "We cannot be forced to play in India through illogical pressure or unreasonable coercion." The T20 World Cup begins in a little over two weeks on February 7, with Bangladesh's four group matches to be played in Kolkata and Mumbai. Bangladesh captain Litton Das said he had no idea if the team would take part. "From where I stand, I'm uncertain, everyone is uncertain," Das told reporters after a domestic match on Tuesday, asking back: "Are you sure we will play the World Cup?" "I think at this moment, the whole of Bangladesh is uncertain," he added in comments reported by Dhaka's Prothom Alo newspaper. Sources in Colombo said Sri Lanka had not been contacted about hosting Bangladesh's matches. One suggestion is that Bangladesh could be replaced by Scotland, the highest-ranked team who did not qualify for the World Cup. The BBC reported that Cricket Scotland had not been contacted by the ICC, but were ready to take part should they get a late call-up. The row erupted on January 3 when the IPL's Kolkata Knight Riders were ordered by India's cricket board to drop Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman, sparking fury in Dhaka the refusal to travel to India. During the World Cup, Bangladesh will hold its first elections since a mass uprising in 2024 toppled then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a close ally of New Delhi. Political relations between India and Bangladesh have soured since.