Bangladesh opts against sending players to India for T20 World Cup
Wants matches to be shifted to Sri Lanka
Dhaka: In the wake of the controversy regarding Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s ouster from the Indian Premier League (IPL) contract by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) amid increased tension between the neighboring nations over the recent cases of lynching in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided against sending its players to India for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
It has also now been confirmed that, while the BCB is not pulling out of the World Cup, it no longer finds it safe to send its players to India and wants the World Cup matches to be shifted from India to Sri Lanka.
Asif Nazrul, an advisor to Bangladesh and overseer of the country’s Youth and Sports Ministry, had posted on Facebook also confirmed that the BCB had decided against travelling to India for the T20 World Cup. “Bangladesh will not go to India to play the World Cup. The Bangladesh Cricket Board has taken this decision today. We welcome this decision, which has been taken in the context of the aggressive communal policies of the Indian Cricket Board,” he said.
The KKR, which had added the name of the 30-year-old left-arm pacer into its list of players for Rs 9.2 crore, had released the cricketer as instructed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Nazrul, therefore, expressed his apprehension regarding the safety of the other players in India and supported a change of venue for the matches.
“I have instructed the Cricket Control Board to submit a written explanation of the entire matter to the ICC. The Board should clearly state that when a Bangladeshi cricketer, despite being under contract, is unable to play in India, the Bangladesh national team cannot feel safe travelling there to participate in the World Cup. I have also directed the Board to request that Bangladesh's World Cup matches be held in Sri Lanka,” Nazrul had written in an earlier Facebook post.
Nazrul has asked the advisor to stop broadcasting IPL matches in Bangladesh. “Additionally, I have asked the Adviser for Information and Broadcasting to suspend the broadcast of IPL matches in Bangladesh. Under no circumstances will we tolerate any disrespect toward Bangladesh cricket, Bangladeshi cricketers, or Bangladesh itself,” he added.
Bangladesh will play against the West Indies on February 7, Italy on February 9, England on February 14, and Nepal on February 17. The matches are to be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata and the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
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Karnataka leads in AI: Minister Priyank Kharge at Impact Summit
Bengaluru (PTI): Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday highlighted the state’s leadership in AI and deep technology while engaging with global industry leaders and startups at a four-day summit held in New Delhi, officials said.
During the event, Priyank witnessed the signing of a strategic MoU between H Company and St John’s Medical College & Research Institute, Bengaluru, to pilot advanced enterprise AI for hospital operations and workflow automation, strengthening responsible AI in healthcare, the minister’s office said in a statement here.
Speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit, the minister said Karnataka is ahead of the curve in AI.
“We are already home to leading global AI players such as Harvey AI and Anthropic, and The Walt Disney Company is expanding its AI network in Bengaluru,” he added.
Noting Bengaluru’s position among the top global cities for AI talent, he added, “Under our DeepTech Decade, we are supporting startups with grants of up to Rs 1 crore. We are engaging with global leaders and innovators to ensure responsible AI use, build the right skill sets, create strong incubators, and establish Centres of Excellence that can foster startups and strengthen e-governance.”
The minister also attended a roundtable organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), where discussions focused on strengthening technology collaboration, investment partnerships, and innovation-led growth between Karnataka and global enterprises.
He met Timo Harakka, Member of Parliament of Finland, to explore possibilities for collaboration between Karnataka and Finland in AI and deep-tech sectors, including joint research, innovation partnerships, and startup exchanges.
The Karnataka IT Minister also visited the Indian Army showcase at the summit, which featured advanced AI-driven defence and strategic technology applications, highlighting the role of AI in national security and modernisation efforts.
He toured the Karnataka Pavilion and the ArtPark Pavilion, interacting with founders and teams from Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem and reviewing emerging AI and deep-tech solutions, the statement added.
