NewKerala.com

Harbhajan on BCB T20 WC Request: "Whether they come or not is their choice"

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh has commented on the Bangladesh Cricket Board's formal request to the ICC to relocate their 2026 T20 World Cup matches away from India due to safety concerns. He stated that while India welcomes all teams, the decision to participate ultimately rests with Bangladesh, and the ICC needs to rule on the request. This follows the Kolkata Knight Riders releasing Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL squad on instructions from the BCCI. The BCCI cited "recent developments" in Bangladesh as the reason for the player's release.

Key Points: Harbhajan Singh on Bangladesh's T20 World Cup India Relocation Request

  • BCB requests ICC move 2026 T20 WC matches from India
  • Cites safety concerns for Bangladesh team
  • Harbhajan Singh says ICC must decide
  • KKR released Mustafizur Rahman on BCCI directive
  • BCCI cited "recent developments" in Bangladesh
2 min read

"Whether they want to come or not is their choice": Harbhajan Singh on BCB request to shift T20 WC from India

Harbhajan Singh responds to BCB's safety concerns, says India welcomes all but participation is Bangladesh's choice. Follows Mustafizur Rahman's IPL release.

"We welcome everyone to India, but whether they (Bangladesh) want to come here or not is their choice. - Harbhajan Singh"

Dubai, January 5

Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh on Monday commented on the Bangladesh Cricket Board's formal request to the International Cricket Council to relocate their 2026 Men's T20 World Cup matches from India to alternative venues, citing safety and security concerns.

Harbhajan stated that India welcomes all teams but stressed that it is ultimately Bangladesh's decision whether to participate on Indian soil.

The former Indian cricketer further emphasised that the ICC needs to decide on their request. The BCB cited growing concerns about the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent as the reason for not travelling to India for the 2026 T20 World Cup, set to be hosted jointly by India and Sri Lanka.

While speaking to ANI, Harbhajan Singh said, "Due to the various events that have taken place in the past few days, Bangladesh does not want to come to India. Whatever happened in Bangladesh is wrong. ICC needs to make a decision on their request. We welcome everyone to India, but whether they (Bangladesh) want to come here or not is their choice."

This development follows the announcement by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) that they had removed Bangladeshi player Muztafizur Rahman from their IPL 2026 roster in response to a directive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding atrocities committed against minorities in Bangladesh.

KKR's decision followed BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia's statement that the apex cricket board had instructed the IPL franchise to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman "due to the recent developments".

"Due to the recent developments which is going on all across, BCCI has instructed the franchise KKR to release one of their players, Mustafizur Rahman of Bangladesh, from their squad, and BCCI has also said that if they ask for any replacement, BCCI is going to allow that replacement," Devaijit Saikia had told ANI.

Mustafizur was selected by KKR for the IPL 2026 season in the mini auction last year. The three-time champions bagged the left-arm seamer for Rs 9.20 crores.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
This is getting messy. First Mustafizur is removed from KKR, now this. Sports should be a bridge between nations, not another battleground. Feeling sad for the fans who just want to watch good cricket. 🇮🇳🤝🇧🇩
V
Vikram M
Security concerns in India? Seriously? We hosted the entire 2023 ODI World Cup without a single incident. Millions of tourists visit every year. This seems more like a political stance than a genuine worry.
S
Sarah B
As someone who has lived in Delhi and Dhaka, I think both sides need to step back. The BCCI's move with Mustafizur was clearly political, and now BCB is responding in kind. The ICC needs to be firm and remind everyone this is a global sporting event.
R
Rohit P
Their loss! More matches for other teams. Indian crowds are the best in the world. Ask any Australian or English player who has played here. The atmosphere is electric! 🏏
K
Karthik V
I respect Harbhajan's diplomatic answer, but we must also ask: was it necessary for BCCI to instruct KKR to drop Mustafizur? That set the tone. Now we have a tit-for-tat situation. Sometimes the cricket boards need to be the bigger person.
A

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50