Sports Adviser’s statement not a direct response from ICC: BCB

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has clarified that recent comments by Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul regarding an ICC letter were not a direct response to the board's security concerns.

Adviser Nazrul recently cited a letter from the ICC's security department that outlined three specific security risks for the Bangladesh team during the upcoming World Cup in India: the inclusion of bowler Mustafizur Rahman in the squad, Bangladeshi fans wearing team jerseys, and the proximity of Bangladesh’s national elections.

During a press conference at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) building on Monday, Nazrul dismissed these concerns as unrealistic. 

"If the ICC expects us to form a World Cup team by excluding our best bowler, stop fans from wearing jerseys, or postpone the elections for the game, then there can be no more unrealistic expectations," he stated. 

He further argued that playing cricket in India has become "impossible" under such conditions.

However, the BCB issued a press release distinguishing between the letter mentioned by the adviser and the board's own ongoing dialogue with the ICC. 

The board confirmed that it has informed the ICC of its security concerns and formally requested that Bangladesh's World Cup matches be moved outside of India. 

The BCB emphasised that it is still awaiting a direct response from the ICC regarding this specific request.

This distinction was echoed by Azad Majumdar, Deputy Press Secretary to the Chief Advisor. In a Facebook post, Majumdar confirmed that the letter referenced by the Sports Adviser was an interdepartmental ICC note reviewing threats for the T20 World Cup, rather than a formal reply to the BCB's request for a venue change.