Millions across the country were relieved after the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in its executive meeting at Colombo yesterday confirmed that the Asia Cup in March will not be shifted and it will be hosted by Bangladesh.
The current political turmoil in Bangladesh had raised questions of whether it would be correct to host the tournament here and should it be shifted to another country. It created more doubts with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board offering to hold the tournament recently, but the phone call from Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hossain, who attended the ACC meeting in Sri Lanka, to Jalal Younus cleared the gloomy weather.
“Asia Cup is going nowhere. The president (BCB president Nazmul Hasan) just called from Colombo and informed that we will be hosting the tournament,” said chairman of media and communications, BCB, Jalal to the media personals who were around him at the BCB office premises during the call.
The concrete announcement of the decision followed within minutes after the ACC meeting ended in Colombo. "As of now, the decision has been made that Bangladesh will retain hosting rights of the Asia Cup," said BCB acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury.
Meanwhile, the traditional four-team Asia Cup will see another nation joining the event. "We had a good meeting with ACC board members, and they have been convinced that we can host the tournament. Afghanistan has also been added to the tournament, making it a five-team event and the number of matches has gone up to eleven," Nizamuddin added.
ACC CEO Syed Ashraful Huq informed the media that the members did not have any precise queries about the security in Bangladesh while the tournament being held.
“Bangladesh provided a detailed security plan to the ACC, which was studied and agreed to. If any member has any other concerns, they should address it with Bangladesh," said Ashraful.
In December, the West Indies Under-19s withdrawal from their tour after a bomb exploded near their hotel in Chittagong caught attention of the international media. The news around the globe made cricket boards of the participating nations in the Asia Cup show concern. Pakistan Cricket Board, who have been in bitter terms with the BCB for some time now, were the most vocal with the issue.
It was reported that the PCB might reconsider of sending its team for the Asia Cup and for the growing anti-Pakistan feelings across Bangladesh over the war-criminal’s trial.
“The BCB and the Bangladesh government have no issue with Pakistan participating in the Asia Cup. It is their (PCB) decision whether to send their team or not,” said BCB president Nazmul to a local news channel in Dhaka over phone yesterday.
“We always believe that cricket will remain above politics in Bangladesh and the country is crazy for the game. The situation is not like the tournament needs to be shifted to some other country. We have always said that the trouble is political, not terrorism. The situation will better as days passes by,” Nazmul added.