“A sad day for cricket”: WCA reacts to Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup exclusion

WEB DESK: The World Cricketers Association (WCA) has expressed strong concern over reports claiming Bangladesh’s exclusion from the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, calling it a “sad moment for the game” and a major setback for players and fans alike.

Reacting to the development, WCA President said that Bangladesh’s absence from a global event of this magnitude would be a significant blow to the nation and its cricketers, stressing that cricket’s stakeholders should work together to unite the sport rather than divide it.

 “This is a beautiful game and we should not be dividing it,” the WCA President said, urging all partners involved to act responsibly and in the broader interests of international cricket.

According to Indian media reports, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has included Scotland in the T20 World Cup in place of Bangladesh after rejecting the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB) request to shift its matches from India to Sri Lanka. The reports claim that the ICC is expected to issue an official statement soon.

Earlier, the BCB had written to the ICC requesting a venue change, citing its decision not to travel to India for the tournament. A private Indian television channel, quoting sources, reported that the BCB also asked the ICC to refer the matter to its Independent Dispute Resolution Committee.

Despite further communication from the BCB reiterating its stance and requesting relocation of its matches, sources claim the ICC maintained its earlier decision, leading to Bangladesh’s reported replacement by Scotland.

The WCA President said that developments like these have far-reaching consequences, particularly for players who prepare for years to represent their country on the world stage, and called for dialogue to prevent further harm to the game.