The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) stated on Friday that it is not within its authority to comment on the Bangladesh cricket team's participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The Indian board clarified that such decisions fall squarely under the jurisdiction of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
BCB's Security Concerns and IPL Link
This clarification from the BCCI follows a formal request from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to the ICC. The BCB has asked the global governing body to relocate Bangladesh's T20 World Cup matches away from India. This request came after the BCCI instructed the Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman, citing "recent developments".
The BCB subsequently sent a second, more detailed letter to the ICC on Thursday, outlining specific security concerns related to traveling to India for the mega event and reiterating its preference for the matches to be shifted to Sri Lanka.
Focus on Centre of Excellence Review
The BCCI's stance was revealed after a review meeting of its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. BCCI official Devajit Saikia, addressing the media, emphasized that the meeting's primary agenda was internal cricketing matters, not the venue controversy.
"The meeting was about CoE and other cricketing matters. It's not our domain to talk about that (as the ICC has the final say on Bangladesh's participation in T20 World Cup)," Saikia was quoted as saying by the PTI news agency.
The high-level meeting, held in Mumbai, was attended by BCCI president Mithun Manhas, vice-president Rajeev Shukla, and the head of cricket at the CoE, the legendary VVS Laxman. Discussions centered on the functioning of the CoE, which became fully operational in April last year, and planning future tours for the India Under-19 and India A teams.
Addressing Staff Shortages and Tour Scheduling
A key outcome of the review was addressing critical vacancies at the Centre of Excellence. Several key technical positions, including the head of education and head of sports science, remain unfilled. Saikia acknowledged the global shortage of technical personnel but assured that the recruitment process would be initiated soon to fill these roles at the earliest.
Explaining the rationale behind the review, Saikia added, "We thought it was an appropriate time to review the preparations and activities of CoE. We are hosting matches on the three grounds there (including the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy)."
The meeting also tackled the scheduling of India A tours, which are considered a vital pipeline for feeding talent into the senior national team. Saikia, a former cricketer-turned-lawyer from Assam, highlighted the need to avoid overlaps. "In certain situations, the A side and senior team are touring together at the same time. We need to ensure that there is no overlapping. An A tour is an important supply line of cricketers," he stated.
With the ICC yet to make a final decision, the venue for Bangladesh's T20 World Cup matches remains uncertain, while the BCCI continues to focus on strengthening its domestic cricket infrastructure.
