DHAKA, Reuter: Bangladesh said on Sunday it was cancelling the limited overs Asia Cup Cricket tournament scheduled at the end of the month because the Indian team has pulled out.
“We are cancelling this most popular fixture with great regret”, Anisul Islam Mahmud, President of the Bangladesh Cricket Control Board (BCCB), said.
He said Bangladesh was also asking the Asian Cricket conference to fix a new date for the tournament some-time in October.
“We still don’t want to miss the show”
Pakistan, India Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were to have played in the weeklong tournament beginning on February 22, but India decided not to send its team because of current political unrest in Bangladesh
Mahmud, also Bangladesh’s Information Minister, said the tournament was cancelled because the BCCB did not want to hold it without India.
“We wanted everybody to participate It becomes meaningless if a major side does not turn up.” he said.
Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bang the team to play in Dhaka lades were due to play in the week long tournament beginning on February 22. But India has already pulled out and Pakistan has yet to announce its decision. .
Ranbir Singh, Secretary of the Indian cricket team’s participation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said in New Delhi on Thursday the government has not cleared the team to play in Dhaka.
He gave no reason for the decision but an Indian external affairs Minister spokesman had said earlier.
‘’While considering the question of the Indian cricket team’s participation, the government will attach the most priority to the safety and security of the players’’
Article extracted from this publication >> February 19, 1988
