“Bangladesh’s Absence from the T20 World Cup Is ‘Very Unfortunate,’ Says de Villiers”

Bangladesh decided not to participate in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in India due to security concerns. However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) did not accept Bangladesh’s request to change the venue. As a result, the ICC included Scotland in the tournament at the last moment in place of Bangladesh. The issue has sparked reactions from many former and current cricketers, including South African legend AB de Villiers, who described Bangladesh’s absence as disappointing for the game of cricket.

AB de Villiers, 41, shared his views on the matter through his YouTube channel titled “AB de Villiers 360,” where he regularly discusses cricket-related topics and interacts with fellow cricketers in an informal setting. In a video posted two days ago, de Villiers addressed Bangladesh’s withdrawal from the T20 World Cup.

Responding to a viewer’s question about his thoughts on Bangladesh not playing in the tournament, de Villiers said he did not want to take sides. “This is a political issue and a personal matter for those involved. I don’t have enough information to comment in detail,” he said. “However, I can say that it should never reach a point where a team has to withdraw from a tournament. It’s disappointing and sad for the game. This should never happen.”

He further added that the people responsible for such decisions should find solutions. “I’ve said this before—I hate politics getting involved in cricket. This is why things have gone this far. It’s very unfortunate,” de Villiers remarked.

The 20-team T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7, with India and Sri Lanka as co-hosts. Scotland has been placed in Group C, replacing Bangladesh.

Earlier, on January 4, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) formally requested the ICC to change venues, citing security concerns in India. However, following an ICC board meeting on January 21, the council informed Bangladesh that it would have to play according to the original schedule in India. Subsequently, the ICC officially notified the BCB last Saturday that Scotland would take Bangladesh’s place in the tournament.

The issue gained further attention after Indian cricket authorities reportedly dropped Bangladeshi pacer Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL on January 3 due to threats from extremist groups. The BCB questioned how adequate security could be ensured for the Bangladesh team, supporters, and journalists during the World Cup if the safety of a single player could not be guaranteed. Despite Bangladesh’s appeal to move matches to Sri Lanka, the majority of ICC member nations voted against changing the venue.