Hyderabad: Bangladesh have asked for the assurance of the country’s army chief for security assistance to host the women’s T20 World Cup according to a report published by Cricbuzz. The tournament is scheduled to start on October 3 but the political turmoil in the country following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to the report, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has written to Bangladesh’s army chief of staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman for security assurance to host the tournament as per the schedule. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been monitoring the situation after the political unrest in the country. ICC can look at other countries similar to Bangladesh's time zones for options. India, Sri Lanka and UAE are the other countries which the ICC can explore.
Political unrest in the country
On Thursday, a Nobel Laureate professor Muhammad Yunus-led government interim was appointed to govern the country till fresh elections are held in the region. After Sheikh Hasina departed from the country, several board members including BCB president Nazmul Hassan were forced to flee the country as they were backed by Hasian’s party, the Awami League.
The report also mentioned that BCB umpiring committee chairman Iftekhar Ahmed Mithu has revealed that BCB is trying to host the tournament.
"We are trying to host the tournament." "To be honest, there are not too many among us present in the country and on Thursday (August 8) we have sent a letter to the Army Chief regarding assurance about the security of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup as we have only two months in hand," he said.
Will T20 World Cup happen in Bangladesh
"ICC communicated with us two days back, and we replied that we will come back to them shortly." "After the (interim) government is formed, we still have to give them assurance of security considering it cannot be given by the board or any anyone else apart from a law enforcement agency of the country and so we sent the letter and after getting written assurance from them (the Army), we will inform the ICC," Mithu added in his statement.
The report has revealed that ICC will wait until August 10 before deciding on the venue of the tournament.
