Bangladesh set to incur losses worth crores after World-Cup boycott:Will they be banned by ICC? Did Pakistan provoke B’desh to make move?

The Bangladesh Cricket Board, which once considered BCCI like an elder brother, has now refused to play in India. Meanwhile, Pakistan is also saying that they will support Bangladesh. Only two weeks are left for the T20 World Cup, which is being hosted by India and Sri Lanka, to begin. In such a situation, what repercussions will Bangladesh face due to the boycott, will Pakistan also not play matches, and what will be the impact on India; we will know in Bhaskar Explainer… Question-1: Why did Bangladesh boycott the World Cup? Answer: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided not to play in India, citing security concerns. BCB wanted its T20 World Cup matches to be held in Sri Lanka, but ICC refused. After which, Bangladesh’s Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul today said, ‘We want to play the World Cup, but there are concerns about the safety of our players and support staff in India.’ Besides this security-related reason, there are 2 hidden reasons why the Bangladeshi team did not come to India 1. Mustafizur Rahman’s exclusion from IPL IPL team KKR bought Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman for ₹9.2 crore, but there was opposition to this auction buy in India. BCCI asked KKR to release him, and KKR did so on 3rd January. However, BCB considered this an insult and banned the telecast of IPL. Eventually, this is where the row got seeded. 2. Strained situation and relations between India and Bangladesh In the last few months, diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated significantly. After violence and killings against Hindus in Bangladesh, there were calls for protests against Bangladeshi players and artists in India. Citing the deteriorating atmosphere, the Bangladesh government refused to send the team. However, BCB President Aminul Islam Bulbul said that they would talk to the ICC once again and ask them to address their concerns. Bangladesh will continue its fight on this issue. After Bangladesh’s decision to boycott, Scotland’s team can now play in the T20 World Cup in its place. Question 2: What losses will Bangladesh incur by not playing the World Cup? Answer: By not playing the World Cup, the Bangladesh Cricket Board, as well as businesses in Bangladesh, could suffer significant losses… Participation fees will not be received, board’s loss Loss of match-winning fees as well Sponsor and commercial loss Impact on Bangladesh cricket team’s ICC rankings According to Bhaskar English’s editorial analysis, Bangladesh, influenced by Pakistan, decided to boycott the World Cup, but Pakistan still dominates the ICC. India-Pakistan matches generate up to 25% of the entire World Cup’s revenue, but this is not the case with Bangladesh. By booting out of T20 WC, they have only harmed themselves. However, Nazmul Hossain, head of BCB’s Finance Committee and Sports Advisor to the interim government, recently stated that Bangladesh not playing the World Cup would not cause any loss to the board. Rather, only loss would be incurred by the players. Question-3: What loss will Bangladeshi players incur by not playing the World Cup? Answer: Not playing the World Cup will harm the careers and finances of Bangladeshi players… Each player set to lose ₹7.5 lakh Impact on Rankings Sponsors Withdrawing Question-4: Can ICC take any action against the Bangladesh team? Answer: ICC has the authority to take action. According to ICC rules, boycotting the World Cup is against the Members Participation Agreement. In such cases, ICC can decide on penalties ranging from financial sanctions to suspension of membership. ICC has taken strict action before as well. In 2019, Zimbabwe Cricket was suspended due to political interference, which prevented them from playing any ICC tournament in 2020. If the ICC believes that the Bangladesh Cricket Board made a call under political pressure, then its suspension as an ICC member could be considered. If the Bangladesh team withdraws from the tournament, the ICC will also not give them the approximately $300,000 they would receive for participating in the group stage. Additionally, the board’s annual share of $30-40 million from the ICC could also be withheld. Furthermore, the ICC could also strip the Bangladesh Cricket Board of the right to host major tournaments in the future. This would affect international sponsorships. Question-5: Can Pakistan also boycott the World Cup? Answer: Pakistan is unlikely to boycott the World Cup because its matches are already scheduled not to be held in India. All of Pakistan’s matches are set to be played in Sri Lanka. There are also media reports that Pakistan, even if it supports Bangladesh, will not boycott the World Cup. Telecom Asia Sports has reported, citing PCB sources, that Pakistan will not take a step like not playing the World Cup. Similar news also emerged on January 20, citing PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi. However, according to a report published in Pakistani news outlet Geo News on 22nd January, PCB sources say that if Bangladesh refuses to go to India, Pakistan will also boycott the tournament. Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has also advised the PCB to boycott. Question-6: Can India also suffer any loss due to Bangladesh’s boycott? Answer: Bangladesh’s boycott of the World Cup will harm Bangladesh more than India. This could lead to India refusing to play a bilateral series with Bangladesh in the future. When India-Bangladesh matches happen, Bangladeshi broadcasters and sponsors earn the most. They also earn from the IPL. By straining relations with India, BCB is harming itself. However, India will have to bear the loss of earnings from match tickets and tourism… Also Read: Bangladesh to boycott T20 World Cup in India: BCB says ‘Want to play WC, but not in India’, ICC likely to include Scotland