The BCCI on Friday responded for the first time to the controversy over Bangladesh’s request to move its T20 World Cup matches outside India. The comments came after the board instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman, raising concerns amid ongoing India-Bangladesh relations.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia clarified that the board’s meeting, held in Mumbai, focused on operations at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and planning India U-19 and India A tours. “It’s not our domain to comment on Bangladesh’s request, as the ICC has the final say regarding World Cup matches,” Saikia said, as per a TOI report. The meeting was attended by BCCI president Mithun Manhas, vice-president Rajeev Shukla, and CoE head VVS Laxman.

During the session, the board reviewed staffing at the CoE, which has been fully operational since April last year. Several technical positions, including head of education and head of sports science, remain vacant. Saikia noted the global shortage of technical personnel but confirmed recruitment will begin soon.

The BCCI also discussed scheduling India A tours to avoid overlap with the senior team, emphasizing their role as a key talent pipeline. CoE preparations, ongoing domestic matches such as the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and long-term planning for tours were the primary focus of the meeting. (With inputs from Agencies)