ICC WORLD T20 2014
India on standby, ‘no thanks’: BCB
India are ready to host some matches in next year’s ICC World T20 if Bangladesh is not able to meet the ICC’s August deadline for the preparation of two of the four proposed venues, interim Indian cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya told reporters on Thursday.
‘We have given a guarantee that, if need be, we will help them by having standby venues,’ Dalmiya was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India upon his return from the ICC annual conference in London.
‘Two of the four venues — Cox’s Bazar and Sylhet — in Bangladesh are doubtful. In case they are not able to get them ready in time, we are ready to host the matches,’ he added.
Dalmiya said, however, that they were not ‘rejoicing’ at such a situation.
‘It’s a difficult situation, but I’m not rejoicing. We’re definitely there for them if we are informed six months in advance.’
Having inspected the Bangladesh venues in June, the ICC’s International Development board has set another inspection in August to take a final decision for the March 16-April 6 event next year.
According to an ICC statement, there is concern regarding the progress of construction and improvements to playing facilities in Cox’s Bazar and Sylhet.
The venues need to be ready six months ahead of the tournament, which includes adequately meeting the accommodation requirements for the teams.
Bangladesh Cricket Board acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury welcomed the gesture shown by Dalmiya, but oozed confidence that there will be no need to shift the venues for the showpiece event.
‘It’s a gesture that I think we should take in good spirit,’ said Chowdhury. ‘Maybe [India] does not want the tournament to go outside the sub-continent. However, I am confident everything will be in place before the schedule.’
‘We have been given a deadline and we are confident we can finish the development work by this time. Just in case we fail to do so, we have our own alternative venue, which is Fatullah.
‘Massive development work was carried out at this venue, so it can easily replace Sylhet,’ he said.
The BCB official said that Sylhet is scheduled to host just six league matches in one particular group, so there should not be too much concern.
‘Accommodation could have been a concern, as we may have needed to find a place for four additional teams in Dhaka in the event of a venue shift. But now we have a solution for that as well,’ he said.
‘In the initial accommodation plan, we did not have the Ruposhi Bangla hotel included as it was going to be renovated, but now the renovation work has been suspended for the World Twenty20.
‘Now we have 200 additional rooms where we can easily accommodate the teams that are supposed to play in Sylhet,’ said the BCB chief executive.
-With New Age input
