In this context, BCCI President Mithun Manhas arrived in Raipur on Thursday. When asked by journalists about the strained relations with Bangladesh, he avoided it. He said that the purpose of his visit was only to attend the second T20 match between India and New Zealand. The BCCI has not officially commented on the matter so far and has maintained a silent stance.

The ICC made it clear to Bangladesh on Wednesday that they could lose their place in the tournament if they do not play in India. According to the ICC, there is no evidence of a credible security threat and changing the venue just days before the start of the tournament would cause major logistical problems. There is also the possibility of including Scotland in place of Bangladesh.

On the other hand, Bangladesh Sports Advisor Asif Nazrul said, they are not satisfied with the ICC’s security assessment. He claimed that there are still concerns about the safety of players, journalists and supporters. According to him, this decision has been taken officially and Bangladesh is willing to play matches in Sri Lanka if necessary.

This tension has increased after the incident of pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s exclusion from the IPL. Bangladesh shows this as a major cause of concern, but the ICC refuses to accept it. They claim it is an internal league matter. All in all, the cricketing relationship between Bangladesh and India is going through a tough time.