(PTI Photo)
Bangladesh is gearing up to host the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting, where there is much anticipation surrounding a potential election for the ICC’s top leadership. The news was confirmed by Nazmul Hasan, president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), on July 28th.
The meeting is slated to be held in Dhaka, and it is highly likely that the election for the ICC chairman will be a focal point of discussions during this gathering.
Greg Barclay, the current ICC chairman, is nearing the end of his second two-year term, which is expected to conclude later this year. The upcoming board meeting is poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future leadership of the ICC.
Nazmul Hasan indicated that the forthcoming ICC meeting would coincide with the conclusion of Barclay’s tenure, strongly suggesting it could mark his final term. The BCB president also conveyed optimism that the specifics of the election process would be decided upon during this pivotal gathering.
As reported by Cricbuzz, Nazmul Hasan said at an impromptu press conference at the secretariat: “It has been confirmed that the next ICC board meeting will be in Dhaka. Possibly the election [ICC] would take place here. I think there will be an election (in the ICC) as the current chairman will have the last board meeting. We are expected to give our election mandate by this time.”
Meanwhile, the president of the BCB disclosed that the ICC had raised concerns regarding recent unrest in Bangladesh. However, he assured the governing body of Bangladesh’s steadfast commitment to hosting the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, affirming this during the latest board meeting.
The ICC has expressed concerns over the unrest in Bangladesh, but the BCB remains steadfast in its determination to host the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.
Previously, both BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury and Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, who heads the BCB women’s wing, had provided assurances to the ICC and other cricket boards. The ICC had been closely monitoring developments in Bangladesh, especially after the government declared an emergency last week in response to widespread public protests.
Despite these challenges, Nazmul Hasan confirmed that representatives from various countries were reassured about Bangladesh’s capability to host the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 as scheduled. This assurance was conveyed during the ICC meeting held in Sri Lanka.
The BCB president signed off by saying, “When I went there, the situation of the country was very bad, and there was no communication with Bangladesh from outside, and the news they were getting was something they were quite afraid of. But after seeing me, they said at least they are convinced that everything is alright in the country.
After that, there was no discussion about it, and all they wanted to know was what had happened. For us, the important thing is the Women’s World Cup that we will host here.”
Bangladesh Women’s Cricket Team recently competed in the Asia Cup 2024, where the hosts Sri Lanka emerged victorious. Despite a strong showing, Bangladesh missed out on a spot in the final after a semifinal defeat to India Women by 10 wickets. However, India Women themselves were unable to secure the title, falling to Sri Lanka Women by eight wickets in the championship match.
