‘Brought embarrassment on us’: Tharoor on B'desh refusing to play in India

NEW DELHI: India and Bangladesh are erstwhile again astatine the centre of a cricket and governmental row. This time, it involves the T20 World Cup and the Indian Premier League.Bangladesh has asked that their matches astatine adjacent month’s T20 World Cup not beryllium played successful India. Instead, they privation the games moved to Sri Lanka. The petition came aft Bangladeshi accelerated bowler Mustafizur Rahman was released from his IPL squad pursuing proposal from the BCCI.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor reacted sharply to the development. He took to societal media and criticised India’s relation successful the situation."Hardly surprising. We person brought this embarrassment upon ourselves," Shashi Tharoor wrote connected X.The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) held an exigency gathering connected Sunday. After the meeting, the committee said it had “formally requested” the ICC to displacement their World Cup matches retired of India."The Board of Directors resolved that the Bangladesh National Team volition not question to India for the tourney nether the existent conditions," the BCB said successful a statement.The committee explained that the determination was taken due to the fact that of “growing concerns regarding the information and security” of its players. It besides said the determination was based connected proposal from the Bangladeshi government.The contented escalated aft Mustafizur Rahman was released by the Kolkata Knight Riders.

The IPL franchise was “advised” by the BCCI to bash truthful amid rising tensions betwixt the 2 countries.Bangladesh’s Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul reacted strongly. He said the state would not tolerate immoderate disrespect."will not judge immoderate insult to Bangladeshi cricket, cricketers and Bangladesh nether immoderate circumstances.""The days of slavery are over," helium added."Where a Bangladeshi cricketer cannot play successful India contempt being contracted, the full Bangladeshi cricket squad cannot consciousness harmless going to play successful the World Cup," helium wrote.The T20 World Cup begins connected February 7 and is co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh were scheduled to play each 4 of their radical matches successful India. Pakistan, meanwhile, volition play their matches successful Sri Lanka arsenic portion of a neutral-venue agreement.Bangladesh Cricket Board president Aminul Islam Bulbul said that “the dignity and information of our cricketers are our apical priorities”.Mustafizur had been bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for implicit $1 cardinal astatine the IPL auction successful December.

But BCCI caput Devajit Saikia said that “considering caller developments” the franchise had been “advised to release” him.Nazrul besides threatened further action."I person requested the Information and Broadcasting Adviser to halt the broadcasting of the IPL tourney successful Bangladesh," helium said.Kolkata Knight Riders aboriginal said Mustafizur’s “release has been carried retired pursuing owed process and consultations”.The contention comes astatine a delicate time. Political relations betwixt India and Bangladesh person been strained since a wide uprising successful 2024 removed Sheikh Hasina from power. Bangladesh volition besides clasp elections connected February 12.