The dream of hosting the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on home soil has been shattered for Bangladesh. Earlier this year, the trophy was unveiled in Dhaka, filling the nation with pride. However, the tournament will no longer take place in Bangladesh, much to the disappointment of the country’s cricketers. Now, the team must prepare to play in unfamiliar conditions as the tournament moves to a new venue.

On Tuesday, the ICC Board meeting made the crucial decision regarding the Women’s T20 World Cup. The outcome: Bangladesh will not host the tournament. The political unrest, marked by widespread violence and human rights concerns during the Sheikh Hasina government’s struggle to retain power, led several embassies to issue travel warnings against visiting Bangladesh. This ultimately cost Bangladesh the chance to host the event.

Habibul Bashar Sumon, who is in charge of the BCB's Women’s Wing, expressed his thoughts: "Our preparations haven't been significantly impacted. We were gearing up for the World Cup with one-on-one training sessions for the players. However, missing out on the opportunity to play at home is disappointing. Many of the players had dreamt of participating in a World Cup on home soil. Naturally, they are feeling let down. We will certainly miss the familiar conditions of our home grounds."

The shift in venue, along with the BCB's recent administrative changes and relative inactivity, played a significant role in the World Cup being moved from Bangladesh. Despite the change, the World Cup is still scheduled to take place in October, but it will now be hosted in the UAE instead of Bangladesh, under the organization of the BCB.