ICC T20 World Cup accreditation procedures have come under scrutiny after several Bangladesh journalists claimed their applications were denied for the upcoming tournament in India and Sri Lanka. The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday clarified that the accreditation process is being reworked following Bangladesh’s exit from the competition.
The T20 World Cup, scheduled from February 7 to March 8, will be hosted across India and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh were removed from the 20-team tournament last week after the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) declined to travel to India, citing security concerns. Scotland subsequently replaced Bangladesh in Group C marking a rare late change to the tournament lineup.
The controversy resurfaced after Aapon Tariq, Sports Editor at Barta24.com, told that his accreditation request had been rejected. Reports suggested that 80 to 90 Bangladeshi journalists were denied permission to travel to India to cover the event.
Responding to the claims, ICC sources said the process is being recalibrated due to changes in schedules and the number of media requests following Bangladesh’s replacement. “There is a reworking of the process since there is a change in the number of requests and the schedules. The accreditation lists are being worked out accordingly,” ICC sources told PTI.
Even if Bangladesh were participating, accrediting 80 to 90 journalists would not have been feasible. “If you go by country quota, you cannot exceed 40. The ICC considers recommendations from the host board before taking a call on applications,” the official said.
BCB Raises Matter with ICC
BCB media committee chairman Amjad Hossain confirmed that the issue has been formally raised with the ICC. Speaking to reporters in Dhaka, he said the board has sought an explanation regarding the accreditation concerns.
“The decision came only yesterday, and we have asked for details. An explanation has been requested. This is an internal and confidential matter,” Hossain said.
According to PTI, Bangladeshi journalists will now be required to submit fresh accreditation applications, which will be reviewed individually by the ICC.
The broader standoff between the ICC and BCB ended last week after Bangladesh were replaced by Scotland. The ICC’s independent assessment reportedly found no significant security threat in India. However, the BCB remained firm on its stance, seeking to play matches exclusively in Sri Lanka following pacer Mustafizur Rahman’s omission from the IPL by Kolkata Knight Riders.