Bangladesh’s request to move T20 World Cup matches has been rejected by the ICC

The International Cricket Council has rejected Bangladesh’s request to move its matches from India in the T20 World Cup scheduled for next month.

Bangladesh requested that its matches be moved from India due to safety concerns amid escalating tensions between the two countries, and demanded that they be played in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament, instead.

Indian media reported that Bangladesh had been told to agree to play in India by Wednesday or risk being excluded from the tournament.

“It would not have been possible to make changes so close to the tournament, and changing the schedule under these circumstances, in the absence of any credible security threat, could set a precedent that would threaten the sanctity of future ICC events,” the ICC said in a statement on Wednesday.

The T20 World Cup begins on February 7.

Bangladesh are scheduled to play all four of their group stage matches in India, including the opening day match against the West Indies and against England in Kolkata on February 14.

All of Pakistan’s matches will be played in Sri Lanka due to tensions with India.

Bangladesh captain Liton Das told reporters after a domestic match on Tuesday that it was still “uncertain” whether they would participate in the tournament.