moved

Bangladesh will not travel to India for the T20 World Cup next month “under current conditions” and have requested their matches be moved elsewhere, the country’s cricket board has said.

Bangladesh bowler Mustafizur Rahman was released by his Indian Premier League team at the request of the Indian board amid growing tensions between the countries.

That led to an emergency meeting at the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), who now say they have “formally requested” the International Cricket Council (ICC) moves all Bangladesh’s matches.

“The board believes that such a step is necessary to safeguard the safety and well-being of Bangladeshi players, team officials, board members and other stakeholders and to ensure that the team can participate in the tournament in a secure and appropriate environment,” a statement said.

The move threatens to bring chaos to a competition which begins on 7 February and has already been affected by the political tensions between India and Pakistan.

Bangladesh are due to play all four of their group-stage matches in India, including on the opening day against West Indies and against England in Kolkata on 14 February.

The tournament is being co-hosted by Sri Lanka, where all Pakistan’s matches will be played because of the tensions with India.

The killing of a Hindu man during violent protests in Bangladesh pushed strained ties between Bangladesh and India into a deeper crisis.

The man was accused of blasphemy and beaten to death by a mob in Muslim-majority Bangladesh in an episode that resulted in protests by Hindu nationalist groups in India.

Anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh has grown since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to the country in 2024.

India has not agreed to send her back despite several requests, while violent protests broke out over the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent student leader, in Bangladesh.

Mustafizur was withdrawn from an IPL contract with Kolkata Knight Riders on Saturday.

No reason for the decision was given by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) but secretary Devajit Saikia referenced “recent developments”.

“The board reviewed the situation in detail, taking into account developments over the last 24 hours and expressed deep concern over the overall circumstances surrounding the participation of the Bangladesh in matches scheduled to be played in India,” said the BCB, who also announced their 15-strong squad on Sunday.

“Following a thorough assessment of the prevailing situation and the growing concerns regarding the safety and security of the Bangladesh contingent in India… the board of directors resolved that the national team will not travel to India for the tournament under the current conditions.”

The ICC has not responded to the BBC’s request for comment.

Bangladesh squad for T20 World Cup: Litton Das (capt), Saif Hassan, Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Nurul Hasan (wk), Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Taskin Ahmed, Mohammad Saifuddin, Shoriful Islam.

Zach Lincoln, 36, from Olympia (Seattle) Washington

Two children named Lilith age five and Maeve age three.

The decision to move from America to the UK came after Zach felt a lot of tensuion in the states, including expressing your own opinion and aROUNDF WOMEN’S RIGHTS.

So, for his family’s benefit, he decided to move to the UK and as for where they settled, that was London.

Since being in the Big Smoke, Zach has realised several differences between American and British people as well as contrasts in day-to-day activities.

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The kindness

One of the biggest differences Zach has noticed is how kind the people in the UK are.

He said: “[I was surprised by] how welcoming and friendly the people are here.

“The US is huge and very regional, which means people act differently depending on where you are in the country.

“Washington state, for example, people are very reserved and you don’t really engage witg people.

“[So] when random people started talking to us in the UK – like stopping me to get my story – I was surprised.

“I had to come up with a two-minute elevator pitch about myself.”

He added: “People here are very tactile too, the let me touch them to express connection, like a hand on a shoulder.

“But people are so afraid to do this in the US.”

The queueing

Speaking to children

Zach said: “People talk to children here, but this doesn’t happen in the US – they don’t want to intrude.

“It gives them a level of autonomy (in the UK) but it has been a big adjustment.

“For example, we were out for a meal and my children were asked what they wanted.

“They looked at me but I said they had been asked and let them figure it out for themselves.”

Cafe culture

Zach said: “Cafe culture is very large here – or third spaces in general [places that aren’t your home or work environment] like pubs, cafes, coffee shops, malls for example.

“People often run into people they know here or feel confident enough to chat to a stranger.

“I think walking to a corner cafe and getting a pastry is a lovely activity.”

He also shared how he has noticed the UK tends to have more dogs, which isn’t surprising as according to the PDSA, three in 10 people have a dog in the UK.

And cafe culture and dogs often mix, Zach has noticed.

“We essentially have a dog by proxy,” he said.

“You go into a cafe and there will a dog there that is well-adjusted and friendly – my kids love them.”

Walking everywhere

Zach said: “People are very mobile and walk-centric.

“People are just out walking all hours of the day, but the US is very car-centric.

“In London, I went from 2,000 to 15,000 steps a day.”

Grocery prices

Zach has also noticed how some things are less expensive in the UK, most notably groceries.

He compared the price of pears for example, sharing how in the states he could often pay around $10 (£7.41) for a bag of pears.

Yet, in the UK, he can grab some for just £1.

Though, he did admit that housing seems to be on the less affordable end of the spectrum.

Perhaps most surprisingly, Zach even found M&S cheap compared to US grocery stores.

In a week in the UK he found that he was spending around £50 on food, but in the US this was around $150 (£111.18).

Eating out is cheap as well in comparison, according to Zach.

“I love a ‘cheeky Nandos’,” he said, “you can just jump in, be seat and be eating within 20 minutes.”

Clothes shopping

Similar to the difference in the price of groceries between the US and the UK,