Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Director Asif Akbar has categorically stated that Bangladesh will not travel to India to play the T20 World Cup under any circumstances. Taking a firm stance on the issue, Asif Akbar said that the team would not go to India for the World Cup. He added that whether the ICC selects Sri Lanka or Bangladesh as an alternative venue is a separate matter, but Bangladesh has decided not to travel to India because they do not feel safe there.
It is worth noting that IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders released Bangladeshi fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman from the league following threats from Indian Hindu extremist groups. This incident strained relations between the two cricket boards, prompting the Bangladesh Cricket Board to call an emergency meeting and announce its decision not to send the team to India. Mustafizur Rahman had been bought by Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s team for more than 90 million Indian rupees. However, after his inclusion, Shah Rukh Khan was labeled a “traitor” by Indian extremists, following which KKR released Mustafizur Rahman from the squad.
