'It Is A Shame': ICC's Blunt Reaction To The Women's T20 World Cup Moving Out Of Bangladesh

Women's T20 World Cup 2024: The International Cricket Council (ICC), on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 confirmed that the Women's World T20 will move out of Bangladesh. Both Zimbabwe and UAE had thrown in their names to host the ICC Women's T20 World Cup earlier this months. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had categorically refused to host the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup.

ICC Opens Up On Their Decision To Assign Hosting Rights To UAE

The ICC has now chosen the United Arab Emirates as the hosts of the Women's T20 World Cup. The tournament will still be organized by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. The tournament be played across two venues in the UAE (Dubai and Sharjah) from October 3 to October 20.

'It is a shame not to be hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh as we know the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would have staged a memorable event', said ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice.

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Alyssa Healy's Reservations On Playing In Bangladesh

Bangladesh Cricket Board's president Najmul Hassan Papon, known to be close to the former PM, has also fled the country.

The ICC decision comes after Australia T20 skipper Alyssa Healy expressed her apprehensions about playing there on Monday.

"I would find it hard to fathom playing there at the moment, as a human being. I feel it might be wrong thing to do," Healy was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press. Allardice said that all available options were explored before deciding on shifting the venue.

"I'd also like to thank the Emirates Cricket Board for stepping in to host on behalf of the BCB and Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe for their generous offers of support, and we look forward to seeing ICC global events in both of those countries in 2026." UAE was a feasible venue as both Dubai and Sharjah are located close to each other and logistical cost of conducting the event there won't shoot up drastically.

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As anti-government protests reached a crescendo on August 5, Hasina resigned and fled the country. The 76-year-old embattled leader landed in India and is currently staying in a safe house in Delhi.

There have been reports of atrocities against the nation's minority communities in the aftermath of the change of guard.

(With PTI Inputs)