The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) wrote to the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) for security assurance to host the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 which is scheduled to begin on October 3.
Following the nationwide students’ protests where more than 300 people were killed, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was given an ultimatum to step down by the COAS after which the army took control of the country and on Thursday (August 8), Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus-led interim government was appointed to run the country till fresh elections.
Now, the BCB asked the COAS to give them security assurance to host the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 as the International Cricket Council (ICC) is monitoring the situation closely and is even weighing up alternate options to host the mega event.
“We are trying to host the tournament,” Iftekhar Ahmed Mithu, BCB’s Umpire Committee chairman, told Cricbuzz. “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,” Mithu said.
“ICC communicated with us two days back and we replied that we will come back to them shortly. Today after the [interim] government is formed, still we have to give them assurance of the 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 today and after getting written assurance from them [the Army] we will inform the ICC,” he added.
Remember, 23 matches are scheduled in the Women’s T20 World Cup between 10 teams in Dhaka and Sylhet from October 3 to 20.