Players and the officials of the Bangladesh Cricket Board heaved a sigh of relief as the Asian Cricket Council on Saturday announced that the forthcoming Asia Cup will go on as per schedule in Dhaka.
The announcement, which came following an ACC meeting in Colombo, is viewed as a huge boost for BCB ahead of ICC World Twenty20, a 16-team sporting extravaganza that came under scrutiny in the wake of political unrest in the country.
‘Today in Colombo they [ACC] had a meeting,’ BCB’s media committee chairman Jalal Yunus said at an impromptu press briefing. ‘The main agenda was the awarding of broadcasting rights and it was given to Star India.
‘While awarding the rights, the broadcasters raised the question as to where the venue would be. That’s because there were issues raised with regards to us hosting the tournament.
‘He was told that the venue is Bangladesh and that Bangladesh will host the Asia cup.
‘There was an issue raised at the meeting regarding an alternative venue and Sri Lanka was ready to be the hosts. But that [proposal] was straightway turned down and it was said that there would be no need for an alternative venue and that it will take place in Bangladesh.’
The alternative was to be discussed as the ACC chief executive officer Syed Ashraful Haq earlier indicated that they do not have any other time slot available for the tournament.
Bangladesh went to the meeting fully prepared as any possibility of moving the Asia Cup away from Dhaka would have jeopardised their chance of hosting the World Twenty20 and the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka.
Bangladesh submitted a detailed security plan, which seemed to have convinced the participating countries as the BCB officials said no-one raised any question about it.
‘That the Asia cup will take place in Bangladesh is very positive news,’ said Jalal. ‘We have the Sri Lanka series coming up as well on January 24. Sri Lanka Cricket chief had a meeting with our board president and they were positive as well.
‘The security plan that we submitted, they will present that to their government on January 8 or 9 and then they will let us know whether they will come to Bangladesh or not,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim also expressed his satisfaction with the ACC decision in Colombo.
‘Al-hamdulillah,’ said a relieved Mushfiq when he was given this news. ‘Whatever happened, it’s good,’ added Mushfiq, who took his time off from practice to ask a reporter about Bangladesh’s Asia Cup fate.
-With New Age input
