UAE, India, and Sri Lanka Eyed as Backup Venues for Women's T20 World Cup

The ICC is considering the UAE, India, and Sri Lanka as potential backup venues for the women's T20 World Cup later this year if the tournament needs to be relocated from Bangladesh.

Recent weeks have seen Bangladesh grappling with severe anti-government protests, resulting in multiple fatalities. On Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India, while General Waker-Uz-Zaman, the army chief, took charge to establish an interim government. Among the damaged properties during the unrest was the residence of former Bangladesh cricket captain Mashrafe Mortaza in Narail, approximately 150 kilometres from Dhaka.

The ten-team tournament is scheduled to take place from October 3-20, but the ICC has already identified potential alternative venues.

An ICC official mentioned on Monday that the situation in Bangladesh is under continuous observation, and all contingencies are being considered. The ICC stated that the safety and well-being of all participants remain the top priority, and they are working closely with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), local security agencies, and independent security consultants.

Following Monday's developments, travel advisories against visiting Bangladesh have been issued by the governments of Australia, England, and India, all of which will participate in the event.

It was revealed that the ICC is actively exploring backup venue options. Although India and Sri Lanka are capable of hosting such a tournament on short notice, challenges persist. Sri Lanka faces the threat of rain in October, while in India, obtaining visas for the Pakistan team could pose an issue.

Meanwhile, the BCB has delayed the departure of Bangladesh A's team to Pakistan by 48 hours. The Dhaka airport was closed on Monday from 6 PM to midnight, casting uncertainty on the scheduled Tuesday flight.

The BCB informed the PCB that the men's 'A' cricket team's departure for Islamabad was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. Both boards have been in regular contact and will continue collaborating on a revised tour itinerary. The Bangladesh 'A' cricket team was initially set to arrive in Islamabad early Wednesday for two four-day and three 50-over matches from August 10-27.

Currently, the departure of the senior Bangladesh team to Pakistan on August 17 remains unchanged. ESPNcricinfo reported that the PCB suggested the Bangladesh Test team arrive in Pakistan early to train and practice in Rawalpindi before the Test series begins on August 21, but the BCB has yet to respond.

The last significant government change in Bangladesh in January 2007 led to the National Sports Council dissolving the BCB's board of directors and appointing an interim body.

The most recent instance of the ICC relocating a global tournament occurred in 2021 when the men's T20 World Cup was moved from India to the UAE and Oman due to the COVID-19 pandemic.