Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul has said that the decision not to travel to India for the ongoing 10th edition of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was taken by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the players themselves, asserting that there was no regret over the move, The Daily Star reported.
Speaking at a press conference at the National Sports Council, Nazrul dismissed suggestions that Bangladesh’s absence from the tournament warranted remorse.
“Any regret There is no question of it at all,” he said.
He added that the decision had been made by the BCB and the cricketers in the interest of safety and national dignity.
“The decision was made by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the cricketers. They themselves made sacrifices for the safety of the country’s cricket, for the safety of the people of the country, the role they played in upholding the dignity of Bangladesh, I think, will always be exemplary,” Nazrul said, as quoted by The Daily Star.
However, the remarks contradicted his earlier statement made on January 22, a day before the International Cricket Council (ICC) officially named Scotland as Bangladesh’s replacement for the tournament, when he had said the decision not to play in India was taken by the government on security grounds.
Meanwhile, Nazrul praised the BCB’s role in recent tripartite discussions held in Lahore involving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), ICC, and BCB.
“Look at the cricketing diplomacy they pulled off. Ultimately, the ICC is now saying that we would not be penalised in any way; instead, they will make us co-hosts of a global event. It is a brilliant achievement.
Salute to the Bangladesh Cricket Board. If such a situation presents itself 10 times, then this decision should be taken 10 times,” he said.
In a related development, Pakistan had earlier announced that the team would not play against India in their February 15 group match in Colombo in solidarity with Bangladesh. However, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later withdrew the directive following the multilateral talks.
