Ashraful hopeful Bangladesh-India cricketing ties will improve after elections
Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful said politics should never be mixed with cricket and expressed hope that cricketing ties between Bangladesh and India would improve following next month’s national elections.
His comments came after Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul said there was “no scope for the Bangladesh team to travel there to compete in the ICC T20 World Cup as the security situation in India had not changed,” following a meeting with national team players and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Aminul Islam Bulbul on Thursday.
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Asked for his reaction, Ashraful told The Daily Star: “What can the BCB do? This decision has come from the government.
“A new government will come after 22 days and I think the concerned authorities from both countries (Bangladesh and India) will sort things out. If a solution comes after that, I think there won’t be a long-term impact. When the new government comes, it will not take responsibility for the decisions of this government.
“Politics should not come into the game, we don’t want that. Not playing in the World Cup is upsetting. But I’m hopeful that the two countries will make things right through dialogue after the new government comes in Bangladesh.”
Meanwhile, BCB president Aminul, however, said the board “will keep on fighting” to ensure Bangladesh’s participation in the T20 World Cup, scheduled to begin on February 7 and co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. He reiterated that Bangladesh are ready to play if their matches are held in Sri Lanka.
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