DUBAI: The International Football Association (ICC) on Tuesday moved the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup from Bangladesh to the UAE, saying it was “not practical” to host the tournament in the unrest-hit country after several participating governments advised against travel to the country.
The event, which India will also participate in and is scheduled to run from October 3 to 20, will now be held in Dubai and Sharjah, with Bangladesh retaining the hosting rights and ensuring they receive a share of the revenue.
“It is disappointing that the Women’s T20 World Cup cannot be held in Bangladesh as the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would have put on a memorable event,” ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said in a statement, without directly addressing the ongoing violence and tensions in the South Asian country.
Allardice said the Bangladesh Cricket Board had “left no stone unturned to ensure the tournament could be held in the country”.
“However, due to travel advisories issued by governments of several of the participating teams’ countries, this was not feasible. They will, however, retain the hosting rights. We look forward to hosting an ICC global event in Bangladesh in the near future,” he said.
More than 230 people have been killed in riots across the country since the toppling of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government, bringing the death toll to more than 600 since mass student protests against a government quota system began in mid-July.
A transitional government was formed and 84-year-old Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was named its chief adviser.
Bangladesh Cricket Board president Najmul Hassan Papon, known to be close to the former prime minister, has also fled the country.
The ICC’s decision comes after Australia’s T20 captain Alyssa Healy expressed reservations about playing for the country on Monday.
“As a person, it’s hard to imagine me playing there at the moment. I think it might be the wrong thing to do,” Healy was quoted as saying by The Australian Press Agency.
Allardice said they explored all options before deciding on the venue change.
“I would also like to thank the Emirates Cricket Board for undertaking the hosting of the event on behalf of the BCB, and Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe for their generous support. We look forward to them hosting a global ICC event in 2026.”
The UAE was a viable location as both Dubai and Sharjah are close to each other and the logistical costs of hosting the event there would not increase significantly.
Hasina resigned and fled the country after anti-government protests reached a climax on August 5. The embattled leader, 76, landed in India and is now staying in a hideout in Delhi.
Since the changing of the guard, there have been reports of atrocities against ethnic minorities in the country.