The International Cricket Council (ICC) members and managers, currently gathered for their annual meeting in Colombo, are keeping a close eye on the ongoing violence in Bangladesh. The recent street protests and killings have raised significant concerns, although no decision has yet been made about the Women's Twenty20 World Cup, set to take place in Bangladesh later this year.
An ICC source at the conference informed Cricbuzz that they are monitoring the situation closely but noted that the event is still some time away, and conditions have reportedly improved in the last 24 hours.
Scheduled from October 3 to 20, the tournament will feature ten teams competing in 23 matches across two venues in Bangladesh: the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka and the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium in Sylhet. With internet shutdowns in several regions and many foreign students leaving the country, the ICC officials' concerns are understandable.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board was informed of the issue, although it was not on the agenda of their ongoing meeting in Colombo. The violence in Bangladesh, sparked by a court order on 'politicised admission quotas for coveted government jobs,' has resulted in over 150 deaths and widespread protests, leading to curfews and unrest.
The World Cup schedule was announced in Dhaka in May, during an event attended by the captains of the India and Bangladesh women's teams, Harmanpreet Kaur and Nigar Sultana. Prior to the official launch, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met with the two captains, extending her best wishes for the successful organisation of the World Cup. Australia will enter the tournament as the defending champions.