Bangladesh Unwilling to Play in India, ICC Considers Alternative Venues
Originally, Bangladesh was scheduled to play its matches in India. However, citing security concerns and recent political developments, the BCB has expressed its reluctance to travel there. The board has formally requested the ICC to relocate all Bangladesh matches to co-host Sri Lanka.
According to reports, the ICC is not inclined to move matches to Sri Lanka. Instead, the council is exploring alternative venues within India. Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium and Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield Stadium have emerged as possible options. The ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have already been in touch with the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) to assess feasibility.
Chepauk Stadium, already a World Cup venue, reportedly has the capacity to host additional matches. Greenfield Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram is also being considered.
Under the current schedule, Bangladesh is set to play four matches in Kolkata and Mumbai. Security concerns escalated after fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was asked to leave the Kolkata Knight Riders IPL squad, reinforcing BCB’s request for venue changes.
The ICC has not yet issued an official response but is expected to clarify its position on Monday. However, with the tournament so close, major schedule or venue changes are considered unlikely by insiders.
