No specific deadline was given: BCB

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has categorically rejected claims that the International Cricket Council (ICC) has set January 21 as a final deadline for Bangladesh to confirm its participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup, reiterating that no such timeline has been formally communicated by the global governing body. Reports earlier suggested that the ICC had asked the BCB to convey its final decision by January 21 amid uncertainty over World Cup venues, with ESPNcricinfo claiming that the deadline was linked to the difficulty of making last-minute changes to groupings and the tournament schedule. However, the BCB has dismissed these reports, maintaining that discussions with the ICC are still ongoing and that no ultimatum has been issued. Addressing the issue at a press conference, BCB director and media committee chairman Amzad Hussain clarified the board’s position and provided details of the recent engagement with ICC officials. He confirmed that an ICC delegation visited Dhaka on January 17 and held meetings with senior BCB representatives to discuss Bangladesh’s concerns. “An ICC representative visited us last Saturday and met our delegation,” Amzad said. “We clearly informed them that we are unable to play World Cup matches at the proposed venue in India and formally requested an alternative venue.